Street peddlers lift roadblock on Corrientes Avenue

A group of street peddlers set up a roadblock on Corrientes Avenue for more than four hours and cooked meals for the vendors present in protest of the recent decision by the City Government to ban them from selling their products on Florida Street.

The vendors, who were joined by their families, set up another roadblock, as they have been doing in the last few days, and cooked a chicken and rice stew.

In a press release, peddlers stated that “it’s been already a week without having the chance to sell our products in Florida street”. Likewise, protesters claim that they are “being denied from have a meeting with City officials” in order to solve the problem.

In December, the Legislature passed a law that bans trade in public spaces without permission and states that only artisans can be relocated in other City areas.

Peddlers claim their rights to set their selling spots in Florida pedestrian walkway, while Metropolitan Police officers patrol the area to stop them from selling their goods.

Tension has mounted lately, and there have been clashes between Police and numerous street vendors that refuse to pick up their lower quality imitations of popular consumer products and leave the famous pedestrian street.