Bolivia reports record tax revenue in 2013

Tax revenue in Bolivia rose by 22 percent in 2013 over the previous year, setting a record high, the National Tax Service (NTS) announced Thursday. At a press conference in La Paz, NTS President Erik Arinez said tax revenue in 2013 amounted to 6.643 billion U.S. dollars, the highest figure ever in the history of Bolivian taxation. "This figure is a milestone for the National Tax Service, for it achieved additional revenues of 8.379 billion bolivianos (1.214 billion dollars), compared to 2012," he said. The hydrocarbon sector contributed most to the tax revenue, representing 52.8 percent of the total thanks to the sale of natural gas to Brazil and Argentina, which was followed by manufacturing, transportation and communication. Arinez generally attributed the increased tax revenue to natural gas sales, better economic performance, increase in the number of registered taxpayers, efficient tax administration and the promotion of a tax-paying culture. The number of registered taxpayers grew by 14 percent, with some 49,870 Bolivians obtaining a tax identification number. Arinez said he hoped this figure would be surpassed in 2014, with more people contributing to the nation's coffer.