19/06/2026 12:47 - Actualidad
Una ilustración conceptual que muestra una balanza de la justicia dorada en primer plano, con un martillo de juez sobre ella, simbolizando la aplicación de la ley. El fondo es una calle de la ciudad borrosa con autos estacionados y siluetas de personas, representando el espacio público donde se aplica la normativa.
If you've ever parked in Buenos Aires, you've likely encountered them: informal parking attendants who 'guard' your car and demand payment upon your return. Known locally as 'trapitos' (little rags) or 'cuidacoches' (car watchers), these individuals operate without authorization, often intimidating drivers into paying for 'protection' against damage they themselves might cause.
For decades, this practice has been a source of frustration for porteños (Buenos Aires residents) and tourists alike. What started as informal work evolved into organized extortion networks, particularly around stadiums and event venues. The new Law 6.961, approved in the early hours of Thursday by the City Legislature with 36 votes in favor, represents the most aggressive legislative response to this issue in the city's history.
The law introduces specific aggravating circumstances. Penalties double when conduct involves intimidation, persistence, or takes advantage of a driver's vulnerability. Sanctions also double in cases of violence or harassment.
A groundbreaking aspect of this legislation is third-party responsibility. If members of a club or institution are found participating, fines for these entities will jump from approximately $10 million to $20 million pesos, with preventive closures lasting up to 90 days.
This targets football clubs and event organizers who may tacitly allow these networks to operate around their venues.
The new regulation significantly broadens enforcement scope. No longer limited to sporting events or mass artistic gatherings, it now applies to any event within the City of Buenos Aires.
Beyond penalties, the reform aims to dismantle trapito organizations. Those acting in organized groups at mass events may face disqualification from accessing social programs, subsidies, or city government benefits for up to two years.
Judges involved in detentions must inform offenders about assistance programs managed by the Ministry of Human Development and Habitat, offering a path toward legitimate employment alternatives.
Mayor Jorge Macri announced the measure with a direct message on social media:
"If you're a trapito, I'll put you in jail. We approved a law to jail these criminals who think they own the streets and live by extorting good people. Law and order."
Source: Official social media accounts of the City Government
Law 6.961 modifies Articles 91 and 92 of Law 1.472 (the Contraventional Code). The initiative was championed by Mayor Jorge Macri and legislator Pilar Ramírez, reflecting a significant policy shift from purely economic penalties to detention-based enforcement.
Historical Context: The term 'trapito' originates from the rags these workers traditionally carried to 'clean' windshields, though the practice evolved into an informal parking control system with implied threats of damage to vehicles that refuse payment.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
