Hey guys, I am in Curuzu Cuatia, Argentina now. Today I was driving North on Ruta 14 (crossed from Uruguay at Salto and started North on Ruta 14 at Concordia. At km marker number 343 (on the East side of Ruta 14) a police officer flagged me to pull over. I pulled over and he asked me if I had my fire extinguisher. At first I did not understand so he took me into the little station there (very distinctive looking, building is new within 10 years, and it looks like a tower) where he showed me a small fire extinguisher in the back of his car and than showed me a form in his office which said all motorcyclists were required to have it.

He than wrote my ticket on a suspicious (hand typed looking) ticket which did not say how much the fine was. He asked me how I was going to pay for the ticket and I told him the usual that I had no money and needed to stop at a bank. He than asked me if I had credit cards? (Since when do the police take credit?)

After 20 minutes of saying I had no money he kept threatening by making handcuff gestures. I asked how much the fine was because it did not say on the paper. He wrote it in 1100 pesos! Any doubt that was left in my mind just left. He did the handcuff thing again and I held out my hands and asked for my phone call.

He knew that I had called his bluff and he suspiciously handed back driving papers and told me to leave. He had taken my passport earlier and was refusing to give it back and said I did not get to keep my information in jail. I snuck it back in my pocket when he left the room.

I walked back to my bike which was 20 m away and grabbed my pen to write the license plate number down of the car that was parked in the station ¨FVK364.¨ The officer came out and asked me what I was doing and told me to come back into the station. He told me to go into the bathroom and wipe my hand off. He followed me into the tiny bathroom and put his hand on his gun and closed the door. He took his gun out and pointed towards my face and than told me ¨cuidate¨ and ¨better you forget about this (I think).¨

Sorry for the ramble of words here. I wanted to write all of this down here because I am going to the police station in Curuzu Cuatia and filing a report.

important details:
officer is 5´9
30-35 years I would guess
a little on the stout side
black hair
wears weapon on the right
The license plate of the police car in the small toower type building is (FVK364)
The station is at km number 343 (on the East side of the road)

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http://www.journeyrider.net Latin America blog (07-8)