Municipal surveillance expansion in Argentina and Bolivia

Local governments in Argentina and Bolivia are implementing various community-funded and municipal surveillance technologies to enhance public safety and urban management.

In Argentina, municipalities are expanding technological infrastructure. In Vicente López, Mayor Soledad Martínez announced the installation of 204 ‘Puntos Seguros’ (Safe Points), which allow residents to communicate with the ESCUDO Monitoring Center for police, ambulance, or fire services. The district has also completed its ‘Muro Digital’ (Digital Wall), utilizing 245 license plate readers at district entrances, with plans to reach 295 by 2027.

In Salta, a pilot program using 36 cameras with loudspeakers aims to combat vandalism and illegal dumping through real-time verbal warnings, though the project has faced criticism regarding cost and transparency. In Rivadavia, the government issued a tender for 20 additional cameras following a one-billion-peso investment in 148 cameras, though local merchants report ongoing concerns regarding theft.

Other regional developments include Lanús, which acquired 50 new cameras to bring its total to over 1,000 as part of a broader security plan, and Bariloche, which is transitioning to a digital system for recording traffic infractions via QR codes. Additionally, a national digital innovation program has launched to support digital transformation in 46 municipalities.

In Bolivia, the neighborhood board Junta Vecinal Rosario 3 in Oruro inaugurated resident-financed surveillance cameras at a specific intersection to improve safety and curb littering.