A. M. 
The Ministry of Finance of El Salvador reported that tax revenues and contributions showed a cumulative growth of 5.8% as of the end of february 2016, compared to the previous month, driven primarily by the strong performance recorded in january.
Cumulative growth despite monthly decline
According to official data, US$741.9 million was collected in january, while in february the figure was US$592.1 million. Although this represents a monthly decrease, the cumulative total as of February 28 reached US$1,334.0 million, which represents an absolute increase of US$73.7 million and a growth of 5.8%.
This means that, although less was collected in february than in january, revenues did grow in the cumulative total for the year, thanks to the solid start recorded in the first month.
Expected performance at the start of the year
The Ministry of Finance indicates that the decline in february compared to january is due to a typical seasonal slowdown in the first months of the year. In other words, it is not an unusual drop, but rather expected behavior in revenue collection.
Even so, the accumulated result exceeded the Ministry of Finance’s internal expectations, reflecting positive fiscal performance at the start of 2026.
Main sources of revenue
The Value Added Tax (VAT) was the main driver of revenue collection, generating US$376.3 million in january and US$313.6 million in february, for a cumulative total of US$689.8 million, representing a 7.1% increase.
Meanwhile, Income Tax generated US$290.0 million in January and US$208.7 million in february, totaling US$498.8 million and a 2.4% increase. Within this category, advance payments stood out with a 7.7% increase.
Other taxes also showed dynamism. Customs duties reached US$62.4 million cumulatively, with an 11.7% increase, while selective consumption taxes totaled US$44.4 million, reflecting a 13.2% rise.
Additional contributions
Regarding special contributions, such as those earmarked for public transportation, these saw a 10.0% increase, contributing an additional US$1.0 million to the year-to-date total.
The report, prepared by the General Directorate of the Treasury using final data from the Banking Revenue Department, notes that variations of less than US$49,000 were excluded to ensure clarity in the presentation of the results.
Overall balance
In summary, although february showed lower tax collection compared to January, year-to-date tax revenues did grow, with a 5.8% increase, supported by strong initial performance and contributions from key taxes such as VAT and Income Tax. This trend reflects a positive evolution of tax revenues in the first months of 2026.
You can also read:
