Partner
Deputy Director García & Bodán Managua (Nicaragua)
Regional Director of Tax practice
(505) 8435 3017
melvin.estrada@garciabodan.com
Melvin Antonio Estrada Canizales is Partner of García & Bodán Managua, Nicaragua and Regional Director of the Tax practice of the firm.
He is recognized as one of main academics and practitioners of Tax Law in Nicaragua, with a deep knowledge of general tax legislation, that has allowed him to successfully advice and represent both national and foreign companies before the Tax Administration and Custom Service of Nicaragua. His practice concentrates in strategy and tax planning, elaboration of tax opinions, negotiations with tax authorities, representation in administrative and judicial procedures for the tax payer, as well his participation in interest groups for the analysis of legislation and proposed amendments to the tax laws of the country.
Melvin has held important public positions such as Director of the Legal Tax Department and Former Deputy Director of the Tax Administration in Nicaragua (DGI), Director of Registration and Control of Associations of the Ministry of Government (MIGOB).
- Tax
- Customs
- Corporate-Commercial
- Capital Markets
- Corporate and Finance, The Legal 500, 2023.
- LACCA Approved, 2014-2021.
- Corporate Tax, Who´s Who Legal, 2019.
- Tax counseled in the incorporation and registration of the first Management Company of Investment Funds in Nicaragua. The authorization granted by the Superintendence of Banks and other Financial Institutions (SIBOIF) marks a historic milestone in Nicaraguan financial system as Invercasa’s SAFI is the first Management Company of Investment Funds approved to operate in Nicaragua.
- Tax counseled to Mexican dairy company Grupo Lala in their acquisition of Eskimo, S.A., Nicaragua’s largest dairy producer. Counsel consisted on the elaboration of a due diligence of Eskimo and its Honduran subsidiary, and legal advice on issues of corporate, commercial, customs, tax, real estate, environmental, antitrust and intellectual property, as well as food safety legislation.
- Counseled to Nicaraguan leader cigar manufacturer in securing lines of credit for USD 11 million granted by a national bank to be used for working capital.
- Counseled in the establishment of a USD 8 million trust fund to hold and manage prime real estate property which will be developed in the coming years.
- Counseled Pallan Group, a Canadian company committed to the sustainable harvest of timber and producing high quality lumber products, on their USD 1.3 million acquisition of Dusa. The firm advised and assisted the client in the signing process of a termination of purchase and share transfer contract and a new stock purchase agreement. Our work included an analysis of the tax implications of the signing process.
- Tax counseled the stock brokerage house Invercasa in structuring the first issuance of “Preferred Stocks” of the issuing entity Corporación Agrícola, S.A. (AGRICORP) for USD 10 million.
- Assisted and represented GE Capital, owner of 75% of the Bank of Central America (BAC) in the region for the sale of its participation by USD 1.92 billion. The firm advised General Electric in all local law issues and strategy, including the requirements for the approval of the Superintendent of Banks, corporate structure, time limit for the approval of the transaction and other issues related to credit card issuers regulations.
- Counseled and represented Payless Shoesource due to an audit notification from the General Custom Directorate (DGA), which culminated in a series of findings allegedly by declaring value of the goods lower than those that customs rules set and resulted in an alleged million-dollar sum, obtaining favorable resolution.
- He has represented different clients directly in administrative and judicial procedures and contentious-administrative litigation, challenging adjustments and findings reported by the Tax Administration and Customs Service of Nicaragua.
- Speaker on Comparative Corporate Law at the 2019 Conference on International Law, event in conjunction with the law firms Harper Meyer, Morgan and Morgan and the International Law Section of the Florida Bar, Panama 2019.
- Participation on drafting of important acts in Nicaragua, which have been enacted and published, such as: Broadening of the tax base Act, Tax Equity Act, Tax Equity Act Regulations, and Tax Code.
- Participation on development of the Citizen Participation Bill and its implementation.
- Participation on the drafting of the Casinos and Gambling Halls Bill.
- Contribution in Annual Report of World Bank and the International Finance Corporation “Doing Business”, 2009, 2011, 2012.
- Seminar on Income Tax to the Canadian-Nicaraguan Cooperation Support Unit, 2009.
- Author of the article “New Law for Microcredit Debtors”, International Financial Law Review (IFLR1000), October 2010.
- Speaker on the seminar “Regional Actualization Programo on International Tax” by Grupo Camacho, with the topic “Taxation in Nicaragua”, Costa Rica, 2016.
- International Fiscal Association (IFA).
- Member of the International Tax Committee of the American Bar Association (ABA).
- Member of the Mexican-Nicaraguan Chamber of Industry and Trade (Camexnic)’s Tax Commission.
- Postgraduate diploma in Tax Integration and Labor in Central America – American College, 2010.
- Games of chance Audit Program, Internship – United States Department of Treasure, 2004-2006.
- Postgraduate diploma in Banking Law – Universidad Centroamericana, 2003.
- Electoral Observation Mission Delegate for the Presidential Election in Peru – The Carter Center & National Democratic Institute, 2001.
- I Regional Central American Course on Decentralization and Local Governments with emphasis on Civic Participation – Instituto Centroamericano de Estudios Políticos (INCEP), 2000.
- Project Audit Course – Agency for International Development (AID), 1999.
- Central American Meeting to analyze regional situations and strategies for civic participation – Red Interamericana para la Democracia (INIAP), 1999.
- Studies on Banking Law, Casinos, and Labor and Tax Integration in Central America.
- Courses and seminars on Tax, Casino Audit, Money Laundering Prevention, and Non-Governmental Organizations.
- Admitted to practice as Attorney and Notary Public since 2000.
- Graduated in Law – Universidad Centroamericana (UCA), 1998.
LANGUAGES
- Spanish
- English