Two "naranjitas" were detained in downtown Córdoba after threatening drivers who refused to pay them with a metal bar. The incident took place near the intersection of San Martín and Libertad streets, where a shopkeeper alerted the authorities. In the presence of the police, the man was apprehended at the scene and the woman attempted to flee toward the corner of Lima and Salta.
The police seized a seventy-centimeter (27.6-inch) iron bar used to intimidate motorists and an orange reflective vest. Both detainees, who are adults, were taken to the police station and placed at the disposal of the justice system for the corresponding proceedings. The operation was carried out by grid personnel who intervened after the shopkeeper and witnesses at the scene called for assistance.
The incident adds to other episodes of extortion carried out by illegal "cuidacoches" that concern residents and shopkeepers. The practice, which combines illegal control of public space with violence and threats, imposes material and security costs on residents and visitors. Judicial and police authorities must now move forward with the investigation to assess criminal and administrative responsibilities.
Urgent measures to eradicate street extortion
The recurrence of cases demonstrates the need to firmly sanction this illegal practice of charging for parking on public roads. It is essential to strengthen preventive operations, coordinate inspections, and define administrative as well as criminal sanctions for those who use violence in public spaces. It is also necessary to promote information campaigns so that drivers and shopkeepers know the reporting channels and do not give in to extortion.
Police intervention in this case prevented an escalation of violence and enabled the recovery of material evidence, such as the bar and the reflective vest. Nevertheless, an isolated arrest is not enough if there is no sustained plan for eradication and recovery of public space. For this reason, coordination among security forces, prosecutors, and the municipality will be key to eliminating networks of "cuidacoches" who operate with intimidating methods.
In the coming days, the justice system will determine the procedural measures against the accused while proceedings for threats and intimidation continue. Shopkeepers and residents of the area are calling for measures that ensure work and circulation without extortion by "cuidacoches" or illegal groups. Until preventive and punitive measures are implemented, complaints and police action will remain the main containment mechanism.
