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ARGENTINA

Passerini went to Congress to blame Milei while he is suffocating Córdoba with taxes.

The mayor criticized the National Government, but his own administration is driving companies away and emptying the capital city

About twenty mayors were present this Tuesday in Congress to criticize the National Government. Among them, Daniel Passerini stood out, who stated that "we, the municipalities, are the ones bearing the weight of the crisis." Despite these statements, his own city is experiencing a process of fiscal suffocation that drives away investment and impoverishes the private sector.

"A year after the creation of the Federal Network of Mayors, today we're worse off," Passerini said from the Chamber of Deputies. The truth is that his administration made headlines this week for having scared away one of the country's largest companies.Mercado Libre announced the closure of its physical offices in Córdoba due to municipal tax pressure.

With more than 1,200 employees, the company revealed that it pays 770 million pesos ($770 million) per month in local taxes, a figure that far exceeds what it pays in other cities. The company emphasized that there is no infrastructure or services to justify that confiscatory level. Meanwhile, Passerini insists on blaming Milei to divert attention from his own local disaster.

Gray-haired man in a dark jacket and white jersey sitting in an armchair, talking and gesturing with his hands while being recorded by a camera
Passerini insists on blaming Milei to divert attention from his own local disaster | La Derecha Diario

The country's most expensive mayor criticizes the national adjustment

Passerini claimed that the National Government is shirking responsibilities that fall on the municipalities. However, he himself multiplies taxes without providing any real compensation. The Mercado Libre case is just a symptom of the tax chaos he imposed in Córdoba.

The company's departure did not result in layoffs, but it did send a strong message about the municipality's hostile conditions. The company made it clear that the capital city became unviable because of the ruling administration. Unlike other cities, Córdoba Capital punishes those who produce and drives away the talent that creates jobs.

While the mayor plays the victim in Buenos Aires, his city loses competitiveness and economic dynamism. The tax pressure he exerts on companies discourages new investment and puts the private sector at risk. Far from admitting mistakes, Passerini prefers to stage a political show and blame others for the chaos he himself created.

A dark-haired man appears in a frame over a square with an old church and a red heart sculpture.
Mercado Libre announced the closure of its physical offices in Córdoba due to municipal tax pressure | La Derecha Diario

He promises what he doesn't deliver and ignores the local collapse

From Congress, Passerini criticized the closure of the National Road Administration decreed by the National Government. He pointed out that "accidents happen every day and are increasing due to lack of investment." However, in his own administration he doesn't invest in road works or essential basic services.

The municipality charges as if Córdoba were Silicon Valley, but provides third-rate services. Neither the traffic, nor the lighting, nor the condition of the streets justify the millions demanded by the Municipality. The tax pressure is disproportionate, but this doesn't translate into improvements for residents or companies.

In addition, the lack of dialogue was another of Mercado Libre's complaints, which for months sought alternatives with local authorities. There was no progress or willingness to correct the confiscatory tariff structure. The city loses opportunities, but the mayor seems more interested in staging performances than in solving real problems.

Modern Mercado Libre office reception with blue armchairs and a white desk
Mercado Libre offices in Córdoba, closed due to confiscatory municipal taxes | La Derecha Diario

Productive Córdoba pays the price for political improvisation

The mayors demanded a fair distribution of resources, VAT, and the municipal tax regime. However, in Córdoba, the problem is not the Nation, but the Kirchnerist fiscal model promoted by Passerini. The exodus of companies is not a future threat: it is already happening.

The Mercado Libre case should be seen as a warning of what is to come if the course is not changed. The city has already lost a site with more than a thousand jobs because of a revenue-driven, anti-business policy. If there is no immediate reconsideration, other companies will follow the same path.

Córdoba can't choose between growth or following Passerini: these are incompatible paths. The current tax policy destroys private employment and jeopardizes the city's economic future. Meanwhile, the mayor parades through Congress looking for others to blame, when the real problem is at Palacio 6 de Julio.

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