Argentina - September 2022

On 1 September, Vice President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner survived an assassination attempt. As she greeted supporters outside her home, an armed man approached her and pulled the trigger of a gun just a few centimeters from her face, but the gun failed to fire. The gunman and two other suspects were arrested shortly after the attack. Investigations suggest that the attack had been planned for weeks, with the suspects using a street vendor business as a cover to study Fernández de Kirchner's movements. Authorities are investigating to determine whether the suspects acted independently or as part of a broader organization and the involvement of potential intellectual authors among far-right groups and high-ranking opposition politicians. Fernández, who before being Vice President led the country between 2007 and 2015, is a polarizing figure and one of the most influential Argentine politicians in recent decades. The assassination attempt underscores the increasingly tense and polarized political climate in the country.

Note: This report was updated in October 2024 for comprehensiveness.

Update: On 8 September, a federal court in Buenos Aires sentenced Fernando Sabag Montiel, the man who pulled the trigger, and his ex-girlfriend Brenda Uliarte to 10 and 8 years in prison, respectively, for the attempted assassination. The court determined that Uliarte played a key role in planning the attack. Fernández de Kirchner’s legal team criticized the sentences as too lenient and accused the court of failing to identify the alleged masterminds, whom they claim are linked to the political opposition. They have indicated plans to appeal the verdict.

Sources: Al Jazeera, Pagina 12, CNN, The Guardian, Associated Press, El Pais, Pagina 12