Cerro Largo’s police force made a significant arrest this Thursday morning. They took Favio Freire into custody. Freire is the former mayor of Isidoro Noblía. He had only temporarily stepped down from his role as head of the Municipal Police less than 48 hours earlier.
Officers arrested Freire at his home in Isidoro Noblía. He is suspected of being involved in the illegal sale of driving licenses. Freire is now with the 2nd Turn Prosecutor’s Office. He is expected to give his statement in the coming hours. This arrest follows Mayor Christian Morel’s announcement on Tuesday. Morel had stated Freire’s temporary removal from his police duties. Carlos Melo was appointed to take his place.
Another notable arrest on Thursday was Elvira del Río, age 71. She is a former official with the Cerro Largo Intendancy. Del Río once oversaw Tourism and Fairs. She also owns a driving school. She was part of a National Party political group and is now retired. Her past roles add an interesting twist to the ongoing investigation.
In total, six people were arrested on Thursday, including Freire and Del Río. This shows the increasing reach of the investigation. Isidoro Noblía is a small town with around 3,000 residents. Yet, it issued approximately 8,900 driving licenses in the last three years. Authorities are now looking into several officials regarding the suspected sale of these documents.
The investigation has already led to serious consequences. So far, three people have been convicted in this case. Five others have been charged. Three of those charged are in preventive detention. Two others are under precautionary measures. Interestingly, three of those charged were city officials. All these legal proceedings are taking place at the 2nd Turn Criminal Court in Melo.