After the scandal that erupted when Carlos "Carli" Bianco, current Minister of Government of the province of Buenos Aires and right-hand man of Governor Axel Kicillof, refused to undergo a breathalyzer test last weekend while driving an official vehicle, and as a result his digital driver's license was retained, Clarín revealed information about the vehicle's infraction history.
The vehicle accumulates 137 fines totaling more than $21.5 million pesos. The amount is divided between $11,325,600 corresponding to the province of Buenos Aires and $10,169,518 owed in the City of Buenos Aires. The infractions include speeding, using a cell phone while driving, and driving in unauthorized areas.
The majority of the violations are for unauthorized entries into restricted areas, such as the fast lane of Paseo del Bajo, intended exclusively for heavy traffic. The cameras of the Buenos Aires government captured the official vehicle crossing that area more than thirty times.
Numerous infractions for exceeding speed limits were also detected. Some are minor, for driving up to 10% above the maximum allowed. However, others are more serious: in March 2024, for example, a fine was recorded for driving at 113 km/h on the Illia highway, where the limit is 80. An even more serious one was issued on May 13, 2020, when the same vehicle was caught going at almost 138 km/h on Cantilo Avenue.
The gray Volkswagen Vento in question also accumulates fines for driving while handling a cell phone and even for not identifying the driver at the time of the infraction. One of the most striking situations is evidenced in a photo: the license plate appears partially covered, apparently with a piece of paper tape.
The vehicle has unpaid infractions since 2017. It is noteworthy that 14 of these sanctions were issued during the period of Social, Preventive, and Mandatory Isolation (ASPO), which was in effect in much of the country during 2020 due to the pandemic.
