Diego Valenzuela's tweet that spurred a multimillion-dollar investment in Tres de Febrero

In October 2024, the Peronist mayor of La Matanza, Fernando Espinoza, attempted to shut down the construction of the second Mercado Libre distribution center within Mercado Central, a site managed by the Nation, the Province, and the City, arguing an alleged "lack of municipal permits."

Marcos Galperin, founder and CEO of Mercado Libre, replied on his X account with a strong criticism of the Kirchnerist model: "80 years fighting against capital and generating poverty... only in La Matanza do they shut us down."

The controversy prompted an intervention by La Libertad Avanza figures such as José Luis Espert, who held a symbolic event and accused Espinoza of impeding freedom of enterprise.

An unexpected post from the libertarian mayor of Tres de Febrero, Diego Valenzuela, who at that time had no connection with Galperin, also resonated: "I would welcome such an investment in Tres de Febrero with open arms, facilitating everything so it can be developed." That statement, unknowingly, was the trigger for a new horizon for Mercado Libre in Greater Buenos Aires.

Less than a year later, that message on social media became reality. Yesterday, July 14, 2025, Mercado Libre announced it will invest USD 65 million in a new logistics center in Tres de Febrero, creating more  than 400 direct jobs.

The new hub will operate in the "Predio Logístico Tres de Febrero," owned by Grupo Posadas, with 58,000 m² (624,306 square feet) and the capacity to process 100,000 products per day and store up to 570,000 items.

"The opening will improve shipping efficiency, enabling 24-hour deliveries... we value that the Municipality promotes the necessary conditions to encourage economic development and formal employment," explained Juan Martín de la Serna, president of Mercado Libre Argentina.

The municipality's support was not improvised. In June 2025, the Tres de Febrero City Council approved a Municipal Investment Generation Incentive Regime (RIGI), based on the successful RIGI launched at the national level by the Government of Javier Milei. This mini-RIGI offers:

• Tax stability for 30 years in the Safety and Hygiene Inspection Fee (TISH).
• Total exemption from TISH for 1 year and a 50% discount for 9 years for investments of USD 10–20 million.
• For investments over USD 20 million, exemption for one year and a 50% discount for 14 or 15 years, depending on whether the company is new or already existing.
• Additional benefits for those generating more than 100 jobs

In addition, a "business anti-blockade system" was created that penalizes and allows police intervention in the event of obstacles to companies. Valenzuela described it as a form of "tax competition... to generate predictability, attract investment, and create jobs."

Following Mercado Libre's investment in the libertarian municipality, it shows how local decisions and messages on social media can attract multimillion-dollar investments. It also demonstrates the effectiveness of municipal policies that lower taxes and provide legal certainty to attract private funds, unlike Kirchnerist municipalities that seek to "fight against capital."