18/06/2026 21:15 - Actualidad
Fachada del Palacio de la Legislatura de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires con banderas argentinas en un día soleado, arquitectura neoclásica imponente
On Thursday, June 18, 2026, the Buenos Aires Legislature approved the so-called Anti-Trapitos Law, a regulation designed to crack down on those who offer unauthorized parking services on the streets of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires. The vote concluded with 35 votes in favor and 18 against.
The Chief of Government, Jorge Macri, celebrated the approval through his X (formerly Twitter) account with a forceful message: "If you're a 'trapito,' I'll put you in jail. We passed a law to imprison these criminals who think they own the streets and make a living extorting good citizens. Law and order."
The regulation modifies Articles 91 and 92 of Law No. 1472 (Buenos Aires Contraventional Code) and introduces a stricter scale of penalties. The existing system was deemed "insufficient" and allowed repeated offenses.
Key changes include:
"Experience at sporting events or concerts shows coordination and territorial distribution, warranting more severe sanctions with clear differentiation between individual offenders and those who promote group activity," indicated the Legislature's Justice Committee.
| Type of Violation | Penalties |
|---|---|
| Offering parking, vehicle care, or window cleaning services without authorization |
|
| With aggravating factors (intimidation, persistence, vulnerability, gender inequality) | Penalties automatically doubled |
| Organizers and coordinators |
|
| Mass events (within 50 blocks, 6 hours before and 3 hours after) |
|
| Club or institution linked to illegal activity |
|
The term "trapito" (literally meaning "little rag" in Spanish) is used in Argentina to refer to people who, informally and without legal authorization, offer parking and vehicle "care" services on public streets. These individuals typically request money in exchange for supposedly watching parked cars. However, in many cases they exert pressure or intimidation on drivers, who feel compelled to pay to avoid damage to their vehicles. This practice has become a widespread problem, especially in high-traffic areas such as stadiums, theaters, and shopping centers. For foreign visitors to Buenos Aires, encountering a "trapito" is common when parking near popular destinations, and it represents a uniquely Argentine urban phenomenon that has now sparked significant legislative action.
Pilar Ramírez, a Buenos Aires legislator from La Libertad Avanza, emphasized: "Today we say goodbye to mafias and the trapitos business." The City government argues that the trapito phenomenon is no longer a "mere informal offering" but often involves situations of pressure or direct intimidation against drivers.
Source: Legislature of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires | El Destape Web
Alfredo S. Quiroga
