The municipality of La Leonesa in Chaco has introduced a control system requiring delivery drivers and transporters to pay around 47,000 pesos daily to enter and make deliveries. The measure, backed by a tax ordinance, has sparked complaints from workers, residents, and opposition over its effects on logistics and commerce. The mayor defends the fee as a way to protect local businesses.
In northern Chaco, the town of La Leonesa has ignited controversy by requiring a daily fee from delivery drivers and transporters to allow entry of vehicles carrying goods or parcels. Municipal inspectors manually register details at access points and notify the payment obligation, with warnings of camera surveillance and penalties for deliveries without payment.
Some drivers pay to avoid losing a day's work, while others bypass the area and shift operations to nearby towns like Las Palmas, coordinating pickups with customers there. This has frustrated residents, who pay for home deliveries but end up incurring extra costs to collect packages themselves.
The policy extends beyond parcel services to trucks carrying construction materials and other supplies. Mayor José Carbajal defended the system: “The municipality is autonomous and has powers to enact its own ordinances, including regulating commercial activities that generate profits and compete with local commerce.” The General Tax and Revenue Ordinance sets the daily fee at 42,000 pesos and the monthly at 250,000 pesos, though drivers report 47,000 pesos, likely due to updates or add-ons.
Opposition councilors challenge the ordinance's scope, originally aimed at suppliers, and the lack of transparency in manual records. Faltas Court Judge Esteban Laviosa noted no fines have been issued yet. The municipality mentions monthly agreements for regulars, but drivers claim they were not informed. The setup disrupts supply chains and raises service costs, per complaints.
