MEXICO CITY (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th November, 2019) The mayor of Canada de Urdaneta in Venezuela has ordered the seizure of facilities belonging to the US-based oil industry firm Baker Hughes over "chronic" tax evasion, media said Friday.
The takeover of the company's warehouse and offices took place on Thursday morning in the presence of municipal officials and local police, the UK-based Argus Media publication said.
"We executed an administrative measure that temporarily shuts the installations until Baker Hughes pays all of the municipal taxes it owes Canada de Urdaneta," Mayor Orlando Urdaneta was quoted as saying.
He said Baker Hughes' installations were shut after the municipal authorities exhausted all options for resolving the tax problem through a "frank dialogue."
Baker Hughes has been operating in Venezuela under a temporary sanctions waiver provided by the US Treasury. It has been extended until January 22.
The company did not provide any comments. The publication suggested that the takeover took place without authorization from Caracas, the regional authorities or the state oil company, PDVSA.
