Argentina’s Vice President Cristina Kirchner was the victim of an attack in Buenos Aires last night. The attacker is Fernando Sabag Montiel, a 35-year-old Brazilian who has lived in the country since childhood. He was arrested by police shortly after the incident and is expected to testify this Friday.
The attack mobilized Argentine society, including members of the opposition who rejected the action. Cristina’s peronist activists and supporters called for demonstrations in her favor this afternoon, and President Alberto Fernández declared a national holiday “in defense of democracy”.
The episode is set in the middle of a legal dispute between Kirchner and her late husband, Néstor Kirchner, who were accused by the Public Ministry of being part of a corruption scheme during her years as President. Cristina denies any wrongdoing and accuses the prosecution of political persecution.
Cristina greeted her supporters when she was startled with a gun. The action took place yesterday evening at around 9 pm (local time) when Kirchner arrived at his home in the Recoleta district of Buenos Aires after presiding over the Senate session.
In recent days, hundreds of protesters gathered on the field to support the former president, and in one of Cristina’s interactions with her supporters, the attacker’s approach with a gun and pulling the trigger did not fire. In the footage (see below), the vice president winces and puts his hand on his face, and the attacker is no longer seen.
He tried to escape, but was stopped by a group of people and later arrested by the police. The gun was found lying on the floor and contained five bullets, according to a national statement made last night by Argentine President Alberto Fernández.
Who is the attacker? Brazilian Fernando Sabag Montiel was born on January 13, 1987 and works as a practice driver in Buenos Aires. He has lived in the country since the 1990s.
According to the newspaper La Nación, the man introduced himself on social media as “Fernando Salim Montiel” – the accounts were deleted earlier in the day after the attack. According to the publication, among her interests and the pages she followed on networks were many who were radicalized or linked to hate groups.
There were likes on pages like “Evil Communism” and “Antipsychopathic Coach” and others that alluded to Wicca, a pagan religion devoted to the knowledge of spirituality from nature and the human spirit and linking to witchcraft and other ancient religions. To La Nacion.
Montiel previously has an unusual record of carrying illegal weapons, which was registered by the Argentine police on March 17, 2021. Police suspect that Fernando was driving the car due to the absence of the backplate that Fernando had attached to a collision. When the suspect opens the door to show the identity of the car, Knife fell. He claimed the gun was for “personal safety”.
Ammunition was found in the attacker’s home. After searching Fernando Montiel’s home on Friday, police found two boxes of ammunition, each containing 50 bullets.
In addition to the ammunition, a computer found in the attacker’s home and the cell phone seized when he was arrested will be subject to forensic examination.
Argentinian senator Cristina is scared but says okay. Senator Oscar Parrilli, of Fernandez and Kirchner’s allied base in the Argentine Congress, said in an interview with local radio that the vice president was “impressed and shaken” but was generally fine.
But the senator said the episode raises questions about how Cristina Kirchner will engage with the public from now on.
This is a very big gravity fact. A man pointed a gun to his head. Cristina survives. The gun with five bullets did not fire. This attack deserves to be rejected by Argentine society. These facts affect our democracy. Speeches that incite hatred cannot be made. An attempt was made against our vice president and our social peace was disturbed. Alberto Fernandez, President of Argentina
What will happen now? The case has been turned over to the Federal Police and is accompanied by Judge María Eugenia Capuchetti, who was at Kirchner’s home this Friday morning to take his statement. The judge was also on the street at the scene.
The case is initially being investigated as attempted murder. Ferdinand’s statement sabbath Montiel must also meet today.
Demonstrations were called. Social movements that support Kirchner and Alberto Fernández’s presidential office called for demonstrations this Friday in support of the vice president. Actions should focus on the history of Plaza de Mayo, a place that gathers political action in Buenos Aires.
Argentina’s House of Representatives will hold a special session tomorrow to discuss the attack.
International echo and presidential candidates in Brazil. Presidential candidates from Brazil commented on the attack.
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), Ciro Gomes (PDT), Simone tebet (MDB) and Süreya Thronico While (União Brasil) was demonstrating on the networks, President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) said he “repent” and sent a “small note” on the matter, but as a counterpoint to the attack he suffered in 2018.
“I sent you a note, I’m sorry. Now when I got stabbed, there were people cheering around me. Sorry, there are already people who want to put this problem on my account. And the attacker there, I’m glad he doesn’t know how to use a gun. I would have been successful if I had known.”
Other Latin American leaders, including Gabriel, also spoke about the attack. Boric (Chile), Gustav oil (Colombia), Luis Lacalle a little (Uruguay), Nicolás Maduro (Venezuela) and former Bolivian President Evo Morales. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also expressed his disapproval on behalf of the country.
The UN calls for an investigation, and Pope Francis is sympathetic to that. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (United Nations) wants the case involving the vice president of Argentina to be the subject of investigation and warned of the risks of political violence in the region.
Pope Francis sent a message of solidarity to the vice president of Argentina, the country where the Pope was born.
“Receiving the alarming news of your Excellency’s attack yesterday afternoon, I would like to express my solidarity and sympathy at this sensitive moment. I wish that in dear Argentina, social cohesion and respect for democratic values will always prevail against all forms of violence. and aggression”, by the Pope reads a signed telegram.
What is the legacy of Kirchnerism in Argentina? At 69 years old, vice president since 2019 and twice president between 2007 and 2015, Kirchner is one of the most important political figures in the country.
Cristina married Néstor Kirchner while they were both law students at the University of La Plata (60 km from Buenos Aires). Since their college days, Peronist militants Néstor and Cristina Kirchner were held in detention for 17 days in January 1976, shortly before the coup that established the last military dictatorship (1976-83).
From this part they focused on the law firm they founded in the city of Río Gallegos (south), which according to the former president was very successful and gave the basis of their fortune with more than 20 real acquisitions. real estate in Patagonia.
After the dictatorship, they began their political careers. Nestor was mayor of Río Gallegos and later governor of Santa Cruz. Cristina was both a congressman and a senator in the same state.
His government was characterized by protectionist policies and welfare programs, with numerous subsidies that boosted public spending.
*Based on information from AFP and BBC News Brazil
source: Noticias
