Argentine Vice President Cristina Kirchner, who presided over the Senate last night in Argentina, was gunned down when she arrived at her home in the Recoleta district of Buenos Aires.
The protesters, called by political parties, trade unions, social movements and human rights organizations from noon, began to gather in the main cities of the country from noon. The ruling Frente de Todos (Peronist, centre-left) coalition plaza inside mayonnaise “In defense of democracy” on a day declared a national holiday.
“We just experienced one of the worst episodes in our history with the assassination attempt on Cristina Kirchner,” said Axel Kicillof, governor of Buenos Aires, the country’s largest region.
After the attack on Kirchner, President Alberto Fernández declared today a national holiday so that the people can “show solidarity” with the vice president.
Opposition criticizes government
The Argentine opposition criticized the government’s handling of the attack on Kirchner, saying it was approached with political opportunism.
“This is not the time for such things. The attack must be seriously investigated, but the population must be urged to remain calm. This circus does not support pacifying the situation,” said opposition senator Carolina Losada.
At a similar demonstration, Patricia Bullrich, leader of former president Mauricio Macri’s party, said on social media that Fernández was “playing with fire”.
The author of the attack is Brazilian
The attacker was identified as Fernando Andrés Sabag Montiel, a 35-year-old Brazilian, according to Argentine Security Minister Aníbal Fernández. He has a criminal record for carrying knives and has lived in Argentina since the 1990s.
The father targeted by the PF investigation. Fernando is permanently in Argentina and has lived in the country since 1993. His father, Chilean Fernando Ernesto Montiel Araya, was the subject of an investigation by the PF (Federal Police) to be deported from Brazil in 2020. to punish [ele] in the country of course [Brasil] or released by the Judiciary”.
There is no information regarding the conviction of the Brazilian’s father. His mother is Argentinean.
Ammunition and computers were seized. According to investigative sources cited by Argentine media, two boxes of 100 bullets were found in the suspect’s home in San Martín, in the metropolitan area of the capital, Buenos Aires. His notebooks and documents belonging to his girlfriend were also confiscated.
Application driver and background recording. According to commercial records cited by local media, Fernando is authorized to act as an app driver in the country.
In March 2021, he was stopped by the police for driving without a license plate in the La Paternal district where he will reside. While getting out of the car, the 35-centimeter knife fell to the ground.
He claimed to the police that he carried the gun in self-defense and that the vehicle had no license plate due to a traffic accident that occurred days ago. He was accused of carrying an unusual weapon and the knife was confiscated.
Video capturing the moment of the attack
Local television footage was captured as Kirchner got out of the car, bowed his head in the middle of the crowd, and the gunman approached a little more than a meter away, gun in hand.
After he tried to shoot, however, the pistol failed and several security guards rushed towards him to stop him.
*with information from AFP
source: Noticias
