The official also defended the municipality's spending on urban infrastructure. "Let them try to sell in a non-urbanized area," he said, in a defiant tone. The phrase exposed the statist vision of the local administration.
Meanwhile, while the national government is promoting a deregulation and tax relief agenda, Córdoba keeps its almost confiscatory model. There was no self-criticism from the municipal executive regarding the tax scheme. The closure was treated as a decision unrelated to the administration.
After the announcement of Mercado Libre's office closure in Córdoba's capital, Javier Pretto came out to defend the capital city's fiscal hell. Marcos Galperin's company stated that the municipal taxes were unsustainable. It chose to close its physical headquarters and move its 1,260 employees to remote work.
Instead of reviewing the local tax model, the vice mayor chose to attack the company. "If it pays $700 million, it's because it invoices much more," he said. He also questioned why a successful company would complain about what he described as a "fair" tax.
Far from showing concern about the loss of private investment, Pretto justified the fiscal suffocation. He stated that large companies must contribute by paying more taxes. The Municipality celebrated the revenue without measuring the impact on formal employment.
Culpó a Galperín por elegir no alquilar más en Córdoba debido a las altas tasas municipales.
Criticism of Galperin and defense of local public waste
In an interview with El Doce, Pretto targeted the company's founder directly. "Why shouldn't the richest man in Argentina pay?" he said. The message seemed more ideological than technical,disregarding the logic of private development.
El viceintendente defendió el infierno fiscal que es el distrito capitalino.
A logical exit in the face of a fiscal hell
Mercado Libre explained that the closure will allow it to save $770 million per month. The company will continue operating in Córdoba, but without paying the physical cost. The decision responds to a cost analysis in the face of what it called "a disproportionate tax burden."
Additionally, starting this week, it will apply differentiated charges by province. Córdoba, Santa Fe, and Jujuy were identified as the most expensive to operate in. Local sellers will have to face commissions ranging from 8% to 20.5% depending on the product and visibility.
The exit of a leading company exposes a structural problem. Córdoba not only loses corporate presence, but also reinforces a model that discourages investment. The municipal tax pressure, far from attracting capital, drives it away.
