The tax authorities in Spain are trying to put international singer Shakira in jail
Not because she didn't pay taxes. She paid 17 million dollars in taxes in Spain, even though she is not a Spanish citizen, and even though the huge amount she paid is much higher than any other private citizen in Spain.
Shakira is registered as a citizen of the Bahamas, and according to the law there she does not have to pay taxes at all. But Shakira's boyfriend lives in Spain, and she used to visit him and stay with him frequently.
According to the law in Spain, if a tourist who is not a citizen stays in the country for more than 183 days, he is considered a citizen for the purposes of his tax liability, even though he does not enjoy any of the rights given to citizens.
To prove she stayed in Spain for more than 183 days a year, the tax authorities monitored her social media accounts, where she shared the locations she visited.
It is important to note that Shakira did not make her profits in Spain. She did not work in Spain. She was just visiting her boyfriend there. Her profits were from royalties on songs and performances that were not made in Spain at all.
So it is not clear what the moral basis is for the impudent demand of the Spanish Tax Authority to jail someone who is not a Spanish citizen, and who paid more taxes to the Spanish government than any other citizen.
So yes, formally the law allows Spain to go after people who are not its citizens. Instead of thanking them for their huge contribution to the Spanish economy.
But if this is the law, then the legislators who enacted this immoral law are the ones who should be put in jail. Not Shakira, who paid Spain millions of dollars from profits she made outside of Spain. And it's not even as if the money goes to the Spanish people. It just goes to finance the bureaucrats and parasites of the greedy Spanish government.
According to the law in Spain, if a tourist who is not a citizen stays in the country for more than 183 days, he is considered a citizen for the purposes of his tax liability, even though he does not enjoy any of the rights given to citizens.
To prove she stayed in Spain for more than 183 days a year, the tax authorities monitored her social media accounts, where she shared the locations she visited.
It is important to note that Shakira did not make her profits in Spain. She did not work in Spain. She was just visiting her boyfriend there. Her profits were from royalties on songs and performances that were not made in Spain at all.
So it is not clear what the moral basis is for the impudent demand of the Spanish Tax Authority to jail someone who is not a Spanish citizen, and who paid more taxes to the Spanish government than any other citizen.
So yes, formally the law allows Spain to go after people who are not its citizens. Instead of thanking them for their huge contribution to the Spanish economy.
But if this is the law, then the legislators who enacted this immoral law are the ones who should be put in jail. Not Shakira, who paid Spain millions of dollars from profits she made outside of Spain. And it's not even as if the money goes to the Spanish people. It just goes to finance the bureaucrats and parasites of the greedy Spanish government.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.