The Buenos Aires City Government evicted an old hotel that had been occupied since the pandemic and had become a hotspot of insecurity
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A former hotel located at Pasaje Ciudadela 1281, two blocks from Constitución station, was reclaimed by the Government of the City after a police operation that put an end to an illegal occupation that had been ongoing since the pandemic. The building, which has 48 rooms, had been turned into a hideout for criminals and into a critical hotspot of insecurity for the area.
Residents had been complaining for some time because the property had turned into a real "den", with suspicious movements, criminal activity, and growing deterioration that affected the neighborhood's daily life.
Police operation and presence of the Head of Government
Police of the City, traffic personnel, and teams from the Care Network took part in the procedure. The Head of Government himself, Jorge Macri, oversaw the operation and emphasized the importance of restoring order in the neighborhoods most affected by insecurity.
"We came to Constitución to put an end to this den of criminals and scoundrels who were destroying the neighborhood", Macri stated. He also indicated that he contacted the hotel owner by video call to confirm the restitution of the property and stressed that in the City "law, private property, and order are respected."
La Ciudad recuperó un hotel usurpado en Constitución y desarticuló una cueva de delincuentes
After the intervention, the building was shut down to prevent new illegal occupations.
A sustained policy: more than 200 million dollars in recovered properties
The operation in Constitución is part of a broader plan through which the City seeks to organize public space, strengthen neighborhood security, and return properties to their legitimate owners. In the last two years, the Buenos Aires City administration has managed to recover squatted properties worth the equivalent of more than 200 million dollars.
The most relevant cases include:
The 12-story building known as the White Elephant of Belgrano, squatted for half a century.
The historic Casa Blaquier, in the Historic Quarter.
The so-called "Gallery of Terror," in Nueva Pompeya.
Part of the Bonpland Market, in Palermo.
A building belonging to the Russian Orthodox Association in San Telmo, occupied since 1999.
La Ciudad recuperó un hotel usurpado en Constitución y desarticuló una cueva de delincuentes
In addition, there have been recoveries in Palermo, Almagro, La Boca, Barracas, Villa Crespo, Villa Devoto, Balvanera, and Villa del Parque, including former hotels that had been turned into centers of criminal activity or drug dealing.
Statements by Jorge Macri and the political message behind the operation
La Ciudad recuperó un hotel usurpado en Constitución y desarticuló una cueva de delincuentes
With this procedure, the administration has reached 559 recovered properties. Jorge Macri reinforced the message that in the City there is no longer any room for impunity: "Impunity in Constitución is over. They squatted in this hotel during the pandemic, they used it as a hideout, and they were destroying the neighborhood. We removed them and returned the property to its owner. Property number 559 recovered. Law, order, and private property."
