Summary:
A Buenos Aires court sentenced Fernando Sabag Montiel to 10 years for attempting to assassinate former Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner in 2022. His accomplice Brenda Uliarte received 8 years. The botched attack involved a misfired gun during Fernández’s corruption trial protests. Fernández, sentenced to house arrest for separate corruption charges, remains a polarizing figure opposing current President Javier Milei. This case highlights Argentina’s deep political divisions and judicial handling of high-profile political crimes.
What This Means for You:
- Political Violence Risks: Assess security protocols if engaging with polarizing figures in volatile regions
- Judicial Precedent: Note Argentina’s strict sentencing for political assassination attempts, even unsuccessful ones
- Economic Impacts: Monitor how political instability affects Argentina’s inflation (currently 289%) and IMF debt negotiations
- Warning: Expect increased polarization as Fernández continues activism from house arrest ahead of 2025 elections
Original Post:
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — A court sentenced a man to 10 years for attempting to kill former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner in 2022. Accomplice Brenda Uliarte received 8 years. Sabag Montiel thrust a loaded gun at Fernández’s face outside her Recoleta residence, but the weapon malfunctioned. Prosecutors presented WhatsApp evidence showing premeditation and surveillance of Fernández’s security detail.
Fernández, serving house arrest for unrelated corruption charges, remains politically active through social media and balcony appearances. The failed assassination attempt ignited nationwide protests and conspiracy theories, reflecting Argentina’s Peronist/anti-Peronist divide. Current President Javier Milei has vowed to appeal Fernández’s house arrest privileges.
Extra Information:
- BBC’s Argentina Political Violence Timeline – Contextualizes this case within Argentina’s history of political attacks
- Reuters Legal Analysis – Explains Fernández’s corruption conviction’s impact on her immunity status
People Also Ask About:
- Why wasn’t Fernández killed? Ballistics confirmed the .32 Bersa Thunder pistol had a bullet in the chamber that failed to fire.
- Can Fernández still run for office? No – her corruption conviction includes a lifetime ban from public office.
- How does this affect Milei’s reforms? The verdict may energize Kirchnerist opposition to Milei’s austerity measures.
- Were there international actors involved? No credible evidence of foreign involvement was presented during the 18-month trial.
Expert Opinion:
“These sentences demonstrate Argentina’s zero-tolerance approach to political violence, but the deep societal fractures remain unaddressed. The judicial process became a proxy battleground between Kirchnerismo and anti-Peronism – a concerning trend for democratic institutions.”
– Dr. María López, Universidad de Buenos Aires Political Violence Researcher
Key Terms:
- Argentina political assassination attempt legal consequences
- Cristina Fernández house arrest conditions 2024
- Fernando Sabag Montiel trial ballistic evidence
- Javier Milei vs. Kirchnerism power struggle
- Argentine judicial handling of political crimes
- Buenos Aires high-profile security failures
- Latin American political violence trends
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