With more than 1,200 employees, Mercado Libre is closing its physical offices and will work 100% remotely due to the tax burden in Córdoba
The statement released by the company clearly states that Córdoba capital has become a hostile place for production. The main person responsible for this environment is Kirchnerist mayor Passerini, who multiplies fees without improving services. Instead of attracting investments, the Municipality drives them away with its fiscal voracity.
Mercado Libre announced that it will close its offices in the city of Córdoba and will switch to a 100% remote work model for its staff. The measure affects 1,260 employees who worked at the Capitalinas headquarters and is a response to an unviable fiscal context. According to the company, the tax burden from Passerini's voracious administration discourages private investment and destroys competitiveness.
The company explained that it pays $770 million per month in municipal fees, an amount that equals the cost of 24 rentals. These amounts far exceed those paid in other cities in the country with similar operations. There is no infrastructure, no services, nor any concrete compensation to justify such an abusive tax burden.
After months of dialogue with local authorities, there was no progress or willingness to correct the tariff structure. The company emphasized that the decision doesn't involve layoffs, but rather an operational reorganization to sustain activity. Meanwhile, Córdoba capital loses another major company due to official improvisation.
Starting in August, Mercado Libre staff will continue their work remotely, while long-term solutions are being evaluated. The decision aims to maintain operational efficiency in a scenario where the municipality charges a lot and offers little. Despite the office closure, the company will continue its commitment in the province.
Mercado Libre keeps three logistics centers in Córdoba and works daily with thousands of SMEs in the region. It also offers payment tools and digital services to hundreds of thousands of local users. This operational infrastructure will continue to function while the company adjusts costs where policy is hostile and anti-business.
Mercado Libre's departure highlights a deeper problem that goes beyond a single company. If the municipal government doesn't change course, other companies will follow the same path to avoid being squeezed. Córdoba capital must choose between punishing those who produce or creating conditions for private employment to grow.
The current tax policy goes against common sense and any effort for economic development. The city charges as if it offered a Silicon Valley, but delivers third-rate services. No company can withstand this, nor can any worker keep their job without uncertainty.
The exodus of companies like Mercado Libre should prompt an urgent rethink in the improvised administration. While other cities compete for investments, Córdoba drives away talent and added value. The decisions of the improvised and compulsive tax collector Passerini have consequences and the private sector is already making this clear.
