Insecurity in Córdoba capital doesn't let up and exposes the vulnerability of those who try to sustain private activity. In the Pueyrredón neighborhood, shopkeepers face a wave of "petty thefts" and snatchings that destroys their daily profitability. Daniel Huppi, owner of the distributor La Rendidora, reported that he has been the victim of 20 criminal incidents in just 12 months.
The municipal neglect led by Mayor Daniel Passerini translates into a critical lack of basic services for prevention. Residents point to a small square plunged into total darkness due to a lack of working streetlights. This space has become a "wolf's mouth" where criminals intercept customers who leave the stores.
The administrative negligence also allows a house in the area to remain occupied by criminals. The victims maintain that the property is used as a "hideout" and escape point after the attacks. Despite the complaints, the municipal administration has not recovered the property or improved the urban environment to protect citizens.
The private sector assumes costs due to the State's inefficiency
Shopkeepers in the eastern sector have had to make their own investments in private security, cameras, and WhatsApp alert systems. However, these measures are insufficient in the absence of a coordinated institutional response. In each incursion by the "mecheras," the stores lose between $50,000 and $60,000 in high-value merchandise.
The situation in the province is critical, but the focus of the conflict lies in the neglect by the capital of its commercial hubs. A group of 10 grocers refuses to pass these losses on to prices in order not to punish residents' wallets. Nevertheless, they warn that working with low margins is unfeasible under the constant harassment of crime.
