Grupo Editorial Matul seeks reopening of La Voz and La Región newspapers

Executives from Grupo Editorial Matul, the publisher of the newspapers La Voz and La Región, have requested the reopening of their operations following a shutdown by the National Integrated Service of Customs and Tax Administration (Seniat) in October 2024.

Representatives including founder José Materán, Emilio Materán, and Tonny Materán presented a report to the 2015 National Assembly to seek inclusion of their case in national dialogue negotiations regarding political and civil guarantees. The company alleges a pattern of administrative and legal asphyxiation.

The report claims that Seniat officials executed a rapid operation to seal and close all operational sites. While the tax authority demanded three years of physical tax declarations (ISLR and IVA), the company argues that by seizing the premises, the authority prevented them from accessing the very accounting files needed to prove solvency.

In addition to the closures, the company faces several precautionary measures, including the freezing of bank accounts, prohibitions on selling assets, and travel bans for shareholders.