The director of the Department of Customs, Vicente Sanchez Baret requested the help of businessmen to eliminate what he called the payment of "macuteo" or payments made to agents to reduce what is paid to the state. This practice had been practically eliminated during the previous government but is said to be back. Sanchez Baret urged the businessmen to denounce any officer who requests a handout so that measures can be applied. He said he is willing to remove them from his department and send them to justice. Sanchez Baret spoke to the membership of the Association of Industrialists of the North Region.
