The federal judge in Salta ordered the immediate exclusion of from the electoral roll 2150 people suspected of being foreign citizens who managed Argentine documents to access social benefits, until an untenable paradox arose: In the border town of Aguas Blancas, there are more voters than voterswith the opportunities that this creates for them blackmail.
The exclusion order was issued by the federal judge Julio Baviowhich stipulated that those would-be voters who wish to be re-included in the electoral roll must inform and Prove your real address in SaltaInformation that must then be verified by the public authorities or the gendarmerie.
Judge Bavio also ordered that the authorities of several public organizations be informed of the incident so that they can take the necessary measures to prevent it Abuses and possible crimes; including the National Social Security Administration (ANSeS), the Customs Collection and Control Agency (ARCA), the National Directorate of Migration (DNM), the National Disability Agency (Andis) and the National Directorate of Border and Waterway Control, as well as the current controller of the city of Aguas Blancas.
The judge also upheld the precautionary measure that had been in place since June when he ordered the “provisional and precautionary suspension of charges, processing and registration in the electoral roll” of all “registration developments” – including registrations and deregistrations – in White water and two other cities in Salta on the border with Bolivia, The awnings And Salvador Mazza“until the actual address of the suspected citizens” can be verified.
Judge Bavio’s decision was based on the results of a survey that found more than 2,000 irregular registrations in Aguas Blancas, a registered city 3648 inhabitants at the 2002 censusbut accumulated overall 5736 supposed voters eligible to vote in April 2025, which a 57.2% more voters than residents.
The hypothesis that the researchers are considering is that the voters now excluded from the register are actually citizens Bolivians who live in their country but have applied for the Argentine National Identity Card (DNI) to access social plans and pension benefitsbut they were registered and therefore eligible to vote.
“A crucial aspect that cannot be ignored under any circumstances – and which adds to the countless consistent pieces of evidence that allow us to achieve a high level of plausibility about the.” notorious irregularities that justify the urgent purification of the electoral roll of the city of Aguas Blancas-,” said Judge Bavio, “is the real danger that these identified deficiencies could pose.” functional for cross-border immigration of foreigners by entering false addresses in our country’s identity card, which in turn can constitute the instrument that makes it possible receiving unjustified advantages of various kindsby simulating compliance with precautionary measures based on lies, with a huge impact on public trust“.
Based on these and other findings, federal prosecutor Ricardo Toranzos asked the judge to order it Arrest citizens on suspicion to vote in October’s national elections, a request the judge agreed to. Reason? Verify your voting status and true address as you may be at risk of being voted out Criminal offense of ideological falsification of a public document.
The evidence supports this possibility. For example this 729 people listed 25 de Mayo Street as their address in Aguas Blancas, but without specifying the number of his house, while others 700 stated 9 de Julio street as their place of residencebut they did not specify the specific number in which they live.
Opportunities for organized crime
In this sense, the Public Prosecutor’s Office reported that it had ordered an investigation of the houses located on both streets of Aguas Blancas, “in the case of Warehouses, green spaces, hotels, commercial areas and undeveloped landand homes with visible numbering and/or a utility cost meter were also reviewed.”
There were similar scenes on other streets in the city. The February 20th Streetfor example, has a total dimension of just 619 metersbut they registered there 793 voters even though the surveys were conducted They couldn’t find enough land for everyone, including warehouses, vacant lots, hotels and green spaces..
After strongly criticize the Bolivian state for its lack of cooperation in this and other investigationswarned Judge Bavio of the risks facing this entire border area before death Advance of organized crimewhich, among other criminal activities, is dedicated to the smuggling of narcotics and other goods or human trafficking.
In this context, the magistrate warned against falsification of electoral rolls in small towns influence voting results“with the risk that in itself implies.” Large drug crime organizations recruit authorities and local officials into their ranks“, he emphasized. “Therefore, I am inclined to order the exclusion from the register of people who find themselves in the situation already described.”
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