| A. Subjects regulated under both laws |
| Purpose and aim of the law |
Arts. 1 and 2 |
Art. 1 |
Both seek to simplify and accelerate procedures. LOCOTA adds institutional strengthening and the elimination of bureaucratic obstacles as autonomous purposes. |
| Scope of application (Public Administration) |
Art. 1 (implicit); Art. 6 references the entire Public Administration |
Art. 2 |
LESTA expressly defines territorial scope: National, State, and Municipal. LOCOTA does not delimit expressly, but its provisions reflect it applies to the whole Public Administration. |
| Guiding principles (speed, efficiency, transparency, honesty, legality, etc.) |
Art. 3 |
Arts. 3 to 5 |
List of principles substantially identical, based on Article 141 of the Constitution. LOCOTA adds: legal certainty, right to cure, and presumption of good faith. |
| Public order and general interest in speed |
Art. 4 |
Implicit |
LOCOTA elevates it to an express rule, requiring public servants to act ex officio or upon request. LESTA presupposes it but does not regulate it autonomously. |
| Efficiency, efficacy, and interoperability (elimination of duplicate requirements) |
Art. 5 |
Arts. 18 and 26 |
Both prohibit requiring documents already held by the administration. LOCOTA frames it as a general principle; LESTA regulated it article-by-article (certified copies and non-required evidence). |
| Powers to eliminate, reduce, or modify procedures and requirements |
Art. 6 |
Arts. 13 to 15 |
LESTA conferred this power on INGETRAPER via general administrative orders. LOCOTA elevates it to the President of the Republic, expanding scope and rank. |
| Incorporation of technologies and electronic media |
Art. 10 |
Arts. 17 and 38 |
Shared principle. LOCOTA requires coordination with the State digital transformation legal framework. LESTA regulated preferential remote access and information on agency websites. |
| One-stop window |
Art. 6.4 (presidential power to create them) |
Art. 49 |
LESTA created one-stop windows and assigned oversight to INGETRAPER. LOCOTA empowers the President to order their creation if agencies fail to do so. |
| Public participation and citizen consultation |
Art. 8 |
Arts. 63 et seq. |
Both provide consultation and participation mechanisms. LOCOTA assigns them to the new National Commission; LESTA assigned them to INGETRAPER. |
| Public-servant liability for delay or non-compliance |
Art. 11 |
Art. 71 |
LESTA established specific fines for public servants. LOCOTA refers generically to legal liability applicable under the law. |
| Good faith of the administered party |
Art. 3 (express presumption) |
Art. 16 (forms submitted in good faith) |
LESTA mentioned it in the context of forms. LOCOTA elevates it to a general principle for interpreting the law. |
| 180-day adjustment period for public agencies |
First Transitional Provision |
Transitional Provision |
Both set 180 days for agencies to adapt their procedures to the new framework. |
| B. Subjects regulated only under LOCOTA 2026 |
| Express rights of the administered party: legal certainty and right to cure |
Art. 3 |
— |
LOCOTA enshrines for the first time the right to cure (non-essential formal errors should not generate automatic rejection) and the right to legal certainty as interpretation parameters. |
| Prohibition on sacrificing speed for non-essential formalities |
Art. 3 (final paragraph) |
— |
Express, autonomous rule: no agency may deny/delay due to non-essential formalities or non-determinative requirement updates. |
| Express presidential powers to suspend, reduce, or eliminate procedures and authorizations |
Art. 6 |
— |
Grants the President direct powers to reform procedures, subject to legal reserve; goes beyond INGETRAPER’s powers under LESTA. |
| National Commission chaired by the President of the Republic |
Art. 7 |
— |
New political-governance structure integrated by sectoral vice presidents, members of the Asamblea Nacional, governors, mayors, and the People’s Defender. |
| Procedures involving indigenous peoples and communities |
Art. 9 |
— |
Guarantee that procedures aimed at indigenous peoples respect customs and traditions, in line with the Constitution. |
| Inter-institutional speed and joint-operation units |
Art. 11 |
— |
Each agency must designate a unit responsible for speed and information exchange; non-compliance generates direct liability. |
| Digital divide: mandatory in-person channels and direct assistance |
Art. 12 |
— |
Prohibits exclusion via digitalization; requires in-person service, preferential service, expedited procedures, and direct assistance. |
| Coordination with the State digital transformation legal framework |
Art. 10 (final paragraph) |
— |
Requires LOCOTA digitalization measures to align with the national IT system and the rules on the digital function of the public administration. |
| Express suppression of INGETRAPER and order of liquidation |
Second and Third Transitional Provisions |
— |
Suppresses INGETRAPER and orders liquidation within 180 days; only express repeal of a LESTA element in the new text. |
| C. Subjects regulated only under LESTA 2014 |
| National System of Administrative Procedures (SISTRAD) |
— |
Arts. 55 et seq. |
LESTA created SISTRAD as an integrated set of policies, agencies, procedures, and technological platforms supporting simplification. LOCOTA does not replicate it. |
| INGETRAPER: governing entity with its own legal personality and assets |
— |
Arts. 55 to 60 |
INGETRAPER was autonomous with its own board. LOCOTA suppresses it without replacing it with an equivalent entity. |
| Agencies’ economic contribution to INGETRAPER (0.5% of fees collected) |
— |
Art. 64 |
Specific funding source for the governing entity. LOCOTA does not establish an autonomous funding mechanism for the new National Commission. |
| Procedure-simplification plans: preparation, submission, and amendment |
— |
Arts. 6 and 13 |
LESTA required each agency to prepare and submit formal simplification plans to INGETRAPER within 180 days. LOCOTA does not replicate this mechanism. |
| INGETRAPER’s power to eliminate unnecessary authorizations ex officio |
— |
Arts. 13 to 15 |
INGETRAPER could eliminate requirements/permits through general administrative orders after 60 days’ notice. |
| Prohibition on requiring certified copies of public documents |
— |
Art. 18 |
Concrete operational rule with exceptions authorized by INGETRAPER. LOCOTA does not reproduce it. |
| Prohibition on requiring evidence other than that required by law |
— |
Art. 26 |
Specific provision on evidence types. LOCOTA covers this as a general principle in Art. 5, but without LESTA’s concreteness. |
| Pre-standardized forms |
— |
Art. 16 |
LESTA regulated the duty to use pre-prepared forms for submitting information. LOCOTA does not develop this point. |
| Representation by power of attorney (simple representation) |
— |
Art. 32 |
Simplified representation mechanism for those who cannot conduct the procedure personally. LOCOTA does not regulate it. |
| Specific sanctioning regime, with fines, deadlines, and procedure |
— |
Arts. 70 to 81 |
LESTA established specific fines and a detailed sanctioning procedure. LOCOTA refers generically to the law without specifying. |
| Sanctions on individuals for providing false information |
— |
Art. 70 |
Fine of 7 to 25 tax units. LOCOTA does not provide a specific sanction for the administered party who provides false information. |
| INGETRAPER’s asset and financial regime (own revenues) |
— |
Arts. 63 to 67 |
INGETRAPER had its own revenue regime, including the 0.5% contribution from fees. It disappears with suppression of the institute. |
| Period for states and municipalities to issue alignment rules (90 days) |
— |
Transitional Provision |
LESTA set a specific 90-day period for state and municipal entities to issue alignment laws/ordinances. LOCOTA does not regulate this aspect. |
| Public information on procedures and fees (mandatory dissemination) |
— |
Arts. 38 and 49 |
LESTA required dissemination of information on procedures and fees, with preference for electronic media. LOCOTA does not expressly reproduce this. |
| Inter-agency commissions: joint management of procedures |
— |
Art. 41 |
Contractual mechanism for agencies to jointly manage procedures. LOCOTA does not contemplate it. |