The former Kirchnerist councilor candidate Rodrigo Cristián Chávez was arrested as part of a drug trafficking investigation involving the seizure of more than 470 kilos of cocaine in Tucumán.
The operation, which had already led to the confiscation of the drugs and the arrest of the vehicle's driver, now focuses on who would be the owner of the truck used for the transport.
Chávez, 47, had been the main candidate for councilor for the Movimiento Unidad Popular (M.U.P.) in the provincial elections of June 2023 in the city of Famaillá.
Rodrigo Cristián Chávez and Osvaldo Jaldo
His electoral participation was a failure, as he only obtained 292 votes, equivalent to 1.04% of the total in the 101 polling stations enabled for a population of around 43 thousand inhabitants. The list he was part of belonged to a Peronist space aligned with Governor Osvaldo Jaldo.
The judicial case identifies him as the alleged owner of a Toyota Hilux truck that was intercepted on June 4 on national route 157, near Arroyo Seco, during a control by the “Aguilares” Squadron of the National Gendarmerie.
The operation found 449 packages of cocaine, weighing 470 kilos, which bore a distinctive seal featuring a dolphin.
According to reports, the drugs were transported in the truck's bed, covered by a tarp and hidden behind fuel canisters. The packages were wrapped in green burlap bags.
The operation
The concealment method was considered striking due to its lack of sophistication, especially considering the estimated value of the cargo, which amounts to $10,313,407,750, according to the assessment made by the security force.
The driver of the vehicle, Marcos Martín Nacif, 62, was arrested at the scene and remains linked to the case. According to information from the Anti-Drug Directorate of the Gendarmerie, he has 46 migratory movements to neighboring countries, through various border crossings located in Salta, Misiones, and Corrientes.
At the time of the operation, he stated that he was heading from Famaillá to the town of Atahona, within the same province.
According to local media, Chávez is known in Famaillá for running a grocery store that operates 24 hours in the city center. However, he is not registered in that sector according to ARCA records. Additionally, between 2015 and 2024, he worked as a municipal employee, although he depended on the provincial government, according to sources in the case.
The investigation is ongoing to determine Chávez's level of responsibility and the possible existence of a network behind the transport of the illegal cargo.
