Three "naranjitas" were arrested this Saturday for threatening a driver on the public road. The incident took place at the intersection of Fructuoso Rivera and Belgrano, a central and heavily trafficked area. The detainees, aged 50, 32, and 30, attempted to extort the motorist who refused to pay.
According to police sources, the men demanded money in exchange for "watching over" the car. When the owner refused, they began to verbally harass him to obtain cash. The situation escalated into a conflict that required immediate police intervention.
The episode was captured by Córdoba Police cameras. In the video, officers can be seen subduing those involved and confiscating their belongings. Among the seized items were three reflective vests used by the "cuidacoches."
An urban problem with no real solution
The three men remained in custody and at the disposal of the justice system after the procedure. Neighbors and passersby in the area state that these incidents occur frequently in Nueva Córdoba. The presence of "naranjitas" on strategic corners has become an everyday sight.
In the face of municipal inaction and the lack of effective prohibitive measures, the problem persists and spreads to new neighborhoods. The case exposes the precariousness of the action plan implemented at the beginning of 2025, which was limited solely to Parque Sarmiento. Far from being a real solution, the official scheme did not work and ended up being a poorly applied patch.
After the municipal intervention in that area, many "cuidacoches" moved to other sectors of the city. Currently, they can be seen in neighborhoods such as Güemes, Jardín, Nueva Córdoba, Cerro de las Rosas, among many others. The lack of control facilitated their expansion and triggered new tensions with residents.
Habitualmente exigen entre 3000 y 5000 pesos por "cuidar" el auto (de ellos mimos) en la vía pública
Extortion, threats, and lack of state control
Shopkeepers and residents report that they are frequent victims of threats from "naranjitas." In many cases, those who refuse to pay suffer broken windows, scratches, or harassment. This situation generates fear and discomfort among those who travel through or live in these neighborhoods.
The "cuidacoches" mafia operates in plain sight, without concrete action from the municipality. Informality allows criminal behavior to proliferate under the guise of a tolerated activity. Meanwhile, insecurity and abuse continue to rise.
The arrest of the three men in Nueva Córdoba reflects a scene that is repeated in several areas of the city. The municipality still doesn't offer clear answers to a problem that combines job insecurity, use of public space, and crime. The lack of firm decisions worsens an increasingly delicate situation.
