Santa Cruz de la Sierra declares Mercado Mutualista municipal heritage

The Municipal Council of Santa Cruz de la Sierra has passed and promulgated laws (Law No. 2372 and No. 2717) declaring the Mercado Mutualista and its 46,000 square meters of land as municipal heritage. The legislation aims to preserve the site for collective use and serves as an original title to allow the municipality to register the land with the Real Estate Registry.

The measure is intended to protect the market grounds from legal claims made by the Crapuzzi family, who assert ownership of the property. While the declaration does not change the current conditions for market vendors, it strengthens the municipality's authority to organize and improve supply centers.

In response to the new laws, the Crapuzzi family has initiated legal actions against the mayor and council members. This has led to a complex judicial conflict, including criminal complaints alleging constitutional violations and ideological falsehood. Mayor Manuel Saavedra stated that the administration will defend the grounds against external interests, while Council President Luisa Nayar noted the law prevents significant financial loss to the public treasury.