José Andrés Velis has been appointed as the new head of the General Directorate of Customs (DGA). This is part of the restructuring in the customs and tax sector announced by Manuel Adorni, presidential spokesperson. Velis has more than 30 years of experience in Customs and has worked on various modernization projects. During his career in the institution, he has held key roles such as Head of the Operational Division at Ezeiza Airport, Head of the Customs Operational Department, Head of the Safeguard Division I and II, and Head of the Administrative and Technical Assistance Department in Buenos Aires.
Velis has led the computerization of transit and transshipment, improving the traceability of goods, reducing operational costs, and optimizing processing times. Additionally, he has implemented scanners at port terminals and customs throughout the country, as well as the introduction of drones at the Buenos Aires Customs. His technical/operational profile and specialization in system and operations updates in the sector make him suitable for the reform sought by the government in this area, in line with public job cuts and deregulation of foreign trade policies.
The IT system María, now called the Malvina System, was implemented in all the country's delegations thanks to Velis's work. Furthermore, he has focused on training internal DGA agents and external actors such as customs brokers, transportation agents, and fiscal deposit operators. This appointment comes within the framework of the dissolution of the AFIP and the creation of the Revenue and Customs Control Agency (ARCA), aimed at consolidating and strengthening the country's customs system.
