The Legislature of the City of Buenos Aires approved this Monday the anti "Trapitos" Law promoted by the head of Government, Jorge Macri, a reform that toughens penalties against illegal parking attendants and windshield cleaners who extort residents. The initiative received 36 affirmative votes and modifies the Contravention Code to incorporate effective arrest penalties, increase fines, and also sanction organizations that promote this activity.
The new regulation aims to provide greater tools to the City Police to act against those who illegally appropriate public space and demand money coercively.
"The trapitos are a mafia, they think they own the street and live by extorting the residents. Now we will put them in jail. With criminals, zero tolerance", stated Jorge Macri.
Arrests of up to 60 days for organizers
Until now, the main penalty against trapitos consisted of economic fines that, in practice, were difficult to collect.
"Until the sanction of this law, there was only a fine penalty. Fining a trapito… they laughed at the Police. That’s why we aggravated the penalties and incorporated the arrest penalty, depending on whether they act alone or in an organized system," said the Minister of Justice of Buenos Aires, Gabino Tapia.
With the new law, penalties will now include days of effective detention, depending on the severity of the act.
The main penalties will be:
Between 20 and 50 days of arrest for those who act in an organized manner during mass events.
Between 10 and 30 days of detention for illegal parking attendants operating on any street in the City.
Up to 60 days in jail for leaders, organizers, or promoters of these networks.
Doubling of penalties when there is intimidation, violence, or when the vulnerability of victims is exploited.
Additionally, those convicted may receive between 20 and 45 days of community service, while economic fines increase significantly, starting from $1,139,988, with maximums equivalent to 7,000 fixed units.
There will also be sanctions for clubs and institutions
The law includes a chapter aimed at combating the structures that finance or facilitate the activity of trapitos.
If the participation of leaders or members of clubs, organizers, or institutions is proven, the Buenos Aires government may impose:
