Tucuman taxi fare fraud sparks violent protests

Violent protests erupted in Tucuman following municipal inspections that uncovered widespread taxi fare fraud. The conflict centered on the SUTRAPPA (Sistema Único de Transporte Público de Pasajeros en Automóvil) depot at the intersection of Avenida Ejército del Norte and San Juan street.

Inspectors discovered that several taxi units had manipulated taximeters to charge up to four times the legal rate. While regulations require a fare increment every 100 meters or one minute, seized vehicles were found to trigger increments every 30 to 70 meters. This tampering resulted in trips costing between 20,000 and 30,000 pesos, significantly higher than the standard 7,000 peso fare.

Valeria Amaya, the municipal director, stated that over 70 licenses have been reported for improper charging. The demonstrations escalated into clashes involving stone-throwing and the use of rubber bullets by police infantry to disperse the crowd, resulting in the arrest of two drivers.