A bill is being proposed in Santa Fe to ban "cuidadcoches" (car park attendants).

Santa Fe is moving towards legislation that prohibits the activities of car park attendants, windshield washers, and "trapitos" (street vendors). Santa Fe has taken a decisive step towards permanently eliminating the activities of car park attendants, windshield washers, and "trapitos" within its territory, following the approval of a bill by the provincial Senate. This bill establishes a ban throughout the province and provides for sanctions in case of non-compliance. It is expected that the Chamber of Deputies will approve the law in its next session, scheduled for April 9th, which will allow for a comprehensive approach to a problem that involves aspects of security, public space management, and related social issues, according to the provincial executive branch. The approved regulatory framework represents an advance compared to previous regulations, as it incorporates the activity of car park attendants into the provincial Code of Offenses. This will enable the application of fines, community service, and, in cases of recidivism, arrest for those who perform tasks related to the care, reservation, or management of parking spaces on public roads without authorization. The bill includes more severe sanctions if the offender resorts to violence, threats, or improper charges, as well as in special situations, such as during mass events or when dealing with organized groups. One of the difficulties in effectively enforcing previous ordinances was the lack of legal tools at the provincial level. Cities like Santa Fe and Rosario already had local prohibitions. For example, since May 2024, the city of Santa Fe implemented a municipal ordinance that prohibited the activity on public roads, repealing the 2019 regulation that had established a regulatory registry with credentials for car park attendants. However, the lack of provincial support limited the ability to control and sanction. The trial will begin early next year. In practice, the activities of the "trapitos" have generated repeated complaints from citizens. One of the most common complaints is having to pay sums ranging from 30,000 to 40,000 pesos to park within a radius of 15 blocks of an event. These practices also occur in other cities such as Venado Tuerto and Rafaela. The new law enables police intervention without prior complaint, which strengthens the ability of the provincial government to respond to extortion or citizen complaints. According to the bill approved by the upper house, the police can act on their own initiative upon observing these behaviors. Car park attendants, or "trapitos," are promoting unionization and legal actions to seek institutional recognition of their activity. Matías Valdes, deputy secretary of the Union of Public Road Workers of Rosario, explained that the union's legal department is working on filing an appeal to guarantee the right to organize and maintain employment for car park attendants and windshield washers. He also stated that "the union intends to establish itself in the province," with Rosario as its center, and that the constitutive assembly, initially scheduled for this week, has been postponed to open a dialogue channel with municipal authorities. Maximiliano Pullaro urged municipalities to enact their own ordinances that reinforce the prohibition of the activity (Government of Santa Fe). The debate has gained particular social and political intensity. Given the high visibility of the issue, Governor Maximiliano Pullaro urged municipalities to enact their own ordinances that reinforce the prohibition of the activity. Virginia Coudannes, Secretary of Institutional Management of the provincial Ministry of Justice and Security, emphasized that the government's position focuses on "order in the streets" and the restoration of public space for citizen use. Coudannes emphasized that "public space belongs to the residents, and the streets belong to the residents," as one of the pillars of the provincial security plan.