Argentina: Vice-President Escapes Gun Attack

Facts

• On Thurs., Argentina’s current vice-president and former president, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, narrowly avoided a reported assassination attempt after having a pistol allegedly pointed at her head at point-blank range outside her home in Buenos Aires.
• She escaped unharmed as the handgun jammed and the attacker was detained shortly after as he was surrounded by pro-Kirchner supporters, who have been rallying near her residence as she faces a corruption trial.
• The assailant was later identified as Fernando Andre Sabag Montiel, a 35-year-old Brazilian national, who was reportedly bearing a gun loaded with five bullets.
• Local media reports that police found 100 bullets in his apartment during a raid on Friday. Montiel may have alleged ties with neo-Nazi groups, but a motive has yet to be determined for the attempted attack on the left-leaning VP.
• The attack comes as tensions have been mounting in Argentina as a prosecutor is pressing for Fernández de Kirchner to face a 12-year jail sentence and a lifetime ban from politics for alleged acts of corruption during her two-term presidency.
• Kirchner is a polarizing figure in Argentina and has long deemed allegations against her as politically motivated.

Sources: New York Times, Al Jazeera, CNN, BBC News, NPR Online News, and BAtimes.

Narratives

• Left narrative, as provided by The Guardian: By inciting the population against Kirchner, Argentina’s mainstream media, the country’s judiciary, and opposition leaders have created a volatile environment. As far-right extremism and hate speech plagues Latin America, democracy is under threat, and acts of political violence such as this attempted shooting are only likely to increase.
• Right narrative, as provided by NewsWep: The response of Pres. Alberto Fernández’s administration to this incident is deplorable. The government should be conducting a deep investigation into this serious attack against Argentina’s vice president to maintain law and order. However, Fernández has instead declared a holiday to agitate its left-leaning militants while irresponsibly accusing the media, the judiciary, and the opposition.