Salinas Pliego Accuses "Narrative" Against Him Over Alleged Tax Debt; Reports 319 Billion Pesos Paid Since 2005

Ricardo Salinas Pliego has vehemently denied allegations that his companies owe taxes, accusing the government of constructing a "narrative" to falsely portray him as having outstanding tax debts. The prominent businessman asserted on his X account that no one has been able to prove he owes money to the Servicio de Administración Tributaria (SAT), Mexico's tax authority.

"Everyone fell silent because WE DON'T OWE ANYTHING," Salinas Pliego wrote, adding that the only taxes he owes are to "extortionists at the SAT." He further accused politicians of lacking substantive arguments to criticize his companies, questioning the basis of the accusations leveled against him.

This stance comes after Grupo Salinas published information on its website under the heading "We comply and pay." The conglomerate stated that its companies have collectively paid more than 319 billion pesos in taxes from 2005 to 2026, a period of 21 years. This figure is intended to demonstrate the companies' commitment to fulfilling their fiscal obligations.

Grupo Salinas also reported paying over 30 billion pesos in taxes in 2026 up to July, with plans to update this information monthly. The company provided a breakdown, noting that TV Azteca fully settled a debt through five payments exceeding 4 billion pesos, while Grupo Elektra has paid over 13.6 billion pesos, according to receipts displayed on their platform. Through these figures, Salinas Pliego and Grupo Salinas aim to counter claims of tax evasion and affirm their compliance with tax regulations.