Mexico president says dozens of companies owe a total $4.9 bln in taxes

MEXICO CITY, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Wednesday the country was reviewing taxes owed by dozens of national and international companies for a total of around 100 billion pesos ($4.93 billion).

"There are about 20 to 30 (companies)," said Lopez Obrador in a regular news conference. "We're going to have a review. In some cases it's because audits hadn't been carried out, or they hadn't been notified."

The president said he had met with leaders of Mexico's tax authority SAT the day before and that he would meet with more members of the body this week or next.

Lopez Obrador did not specify which companies were under review, but said that Mexican billionaire Ricardo Salinas' conglomerate Grupo Salinas and subsidiary TV Azteca were not included.

"We're talking about another list," he said. "An agreement is being sought" in the case of Salinas' companies, according to Lopez Obrador.

Grupo Salinas and TV Azteca owe billions of pesos in back taxes, the SAT alleges, and have engaged in a lengthy legal battle to fight the payments.

Lopez Obrador has vowed to crack down on tax evaders while in office, though international organizations have called some tactics, such as promises to criminally prosecute companies' attorneys, an overreach.

Grupo Salinas and SAT did not immediately respond to requests for comment. (Reporting by Raul Cortes; Writing by Kylie Madry; Editing by Nick Macfie)