Cristina Fernández de Kirchner: Argentinian court sentences man to 10 years for attempted assassination | Argentina
A court in Argentina has sentenced a man to 10 years in prison after finding him guilty of attempting to murder former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.
The court in Buenos Aires also sentenced the man’s accomplice to eight years in prison, ending a dramatic trial that has captivated the country since 2022 when prime defendant Fernando Sabag Montiel walked through a crowd outside the former president’s home, put a loaded gun to his face and pulled the trigger.
The gun did not fire. Fernández de Kirchner, who was Argentina’s vice president at the time, escaped unharmed.
The failed assassination attempt sparked street protests from Fernández de Kirchner’s diehard supporters and skepticism and conspiracy theories from his ardent critics.
Fernández de Kirchner, one of Latin America’s best-known politicians who was at the forefront of Argentine politics for three decades and served two terms as president from 2007 to 2015, is a deeply polarizing figure whose brand of left-wing populism has left Argentina infamous for its runaway inflation and massive fiscal deficits.
Convicted of corruption for allegedly diverting public road construction contracts to a friend’s company, 72-year-old Fernández de Kirchner was sentenced to six years in prison earlier this year. The court allowed him to serve his sentence under house arrest in Buenos Aires, citing his age and fears for his safety since the attack in 2022.
Although he is banned from running for public office, he remains outspoken against Argentina’s libertarian president, Javier Milei. He still posts critiques on social media from his home, waves to supporters gathered under his balcony and hosts high-profile visitors such as Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who visited him in July. Fernández de Kirchner has long denied corruption accusations as politically motivated.
At the hearing, which ended on Wednesday, prosecutors aimed to prove that Sabag Montiel, a Brazilian-born Argentine citizen, and his then-girlfriend Brenda Uliarte had planned the assassination attempt in advance.
The prosecution presented WhatsApp chats about the firearm and evidence that the former couple visited Fernández de Kirchner’s home to observe his routines and safety before the attack.
At the time of the conflict, Fernández de Kirchner was on trial for corruption and crowds regularly marched in front of his home in solidarity. Supporters of the former president managed to capture Sabag Montiel, who tried to flee the scene after firing the malfunctioning gun.
He confessed his guilt in court and described the assassination attempt as a way to achieve justice against Fernández de Kirchner’s allegations of corruption. Uliarte, who was arrested days after the incident, denied any involvement.
