Assassination attempt on Argentina’s Vice president, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, the gun fails to fire.
Fernández de Kirchner is among Argentina’s most prominent political figures, having served as President from 2007 to 2015, before taking office as vice president in 2019.
Her supporters have been holding rallies outside her home for several days, in response to an ongoing trial in which she is accused of corruption during her term as President.
The entire nation of Argentina would have been hit with sad news about Cristina Fernández de Kirchner but we are happy to tell y’all that she is unharmed.
A man tried to fire gun inches from the head of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, the country’s most prominent leader, but it did not go off.
A man has been arrested after attempting to shoot Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, Argentina’s vice-president and former President, at point blank range outside her home in Buenos Aires on Thursday.
Video of the incident shows the vice president smiling as she walks by a crowd of people. A man in the crowd then surges forward, pointing a gun at Fernández de Kirchner’s face and apparently attempting a shot. No bullets are fired and the two-time former President flinches backward, unharmed.
The attacker was taken into custody after a few seconds of confusion and panic.
Argentina’s official news agency, Télam, identified the man as a Brazilian national, later updating his name to Fernando Andre Sabag Montiel.
The Argentine Ministry of Security confirmed the weapon used in the incident was a .380 firearm with bullets inside.
“Cristina is still alive because – for some reason, we can’t technically confirm at this moment – the weapon, which was armed with five bullets, did not shoot although the trigger was pulled,” said Argentine President Alberto Fernández in a televised address Thursday evening.
He called the assassination attempt an attack on democracy, saying, “We must eradicate hate and violence from our media and political discourse.” He declared Friday a national holiday for the country to rally together in support of Fernández de Kirchner.
Former Argentine President Mauricio Macri also renounced the attack on Thursday, calling for an “immediate and profound clarification by the justice system and the security forces.”
