Terrifying moment assassin’s gun JAMS as he tries to shoot Argentina’s vice president in the head at point-blank range and he is tackled by security
- Vice president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner was targeted outside her home in assassination attempt
- Fernando Montiel, a 35-year-old Brazilian, allegedly pointed a loaded handgun at her at point blank range
- The 69-year-old politician ducked out of the way but only survived because the gun jammed and did not fire
- The gunman, who has previous weapons offences, was arrested and his gun was loaded with five bullets
- Fernández de Kirchner is in the middle of a corruption trial and leads the hardline wing of center-left coalition
Argentina’s vice president has survived an assassination attempt after a gunman pointed a loaded handgun at her head at point-blank range and pulled the trigger but the weapon jammed.
Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, 69, arrived outside her home in Recoleta, Buenos Aires, yesterday evening to a crowd of supporters when the would-be assassin emerged and aimed the gun at her.
Fernando Montiel, a 35-year-old Brazilian, was tackled by security and arrested after the .32-caliber Bersa, which was loaded with five bullets, jammed and did not fire.
Footage shared online shows the moment the politician arrived smiling to greet the supporters and did not even appear to notice the gun just inches from her face until the trigger was pulled and she ducked, while onlookers screamed and the gunman was overpowered.
The suspect has a previous criminal record for carrying weapons, government officials confirmed.
The powerful politician, who served as president from 2007 to 2015 and was previously first lady to her president husband Nestor from 2003 to 2007, is in the middle of a corruption trial and was returning home from court.
Her home has been mobbed with protesters and supporters in recent days after she was accused of defrauding the state. Last week she was forced to order demonstrators to scatter after her property was ‘besieged.’
Security Minister Aníbal Fernández confirmed the arrest: ‘A person who was identified by those who were close to him who had a gun was detained by security personnel.
‘They set him aside, found the weapon, and now it must be analyzed.’
A 35-year-old has been arrested after the gun was pointed at the Vice President’s face. It was loaded with five bullets and he pulled the trigger, but the politician was unharmed
The gun was held straight in the politician’s face. It appears that the suspect pulled the trigger at the Vice President, but she was not hurt
Footage shared online shows the moment the politician arrived smiling to greet the supporters and did not even appear to notice the gun just inches from her face
Montiel (pictured) was arrested after allegedly holding the handgun at the politician’s face outside her home on Thursday night
Argentine Vice President Cristina Fernández had a gun held in her face as she got out of a car. her home has been mobbed with protesters and supporters in recent days, after she was accused of defrauding the state. Last week she was forced to order demonstrators to scatter after her property was ‘besieged’
Clips of the moment posted on social media show the pistol almost touching Fernández’ face – who was smiling at the crowds before she realized that she was under threat.
Speaking tonight, President Alberto Fernández said in a speech: ‘Dear Argentine people, shortly after 9pm, a man made an attempt on the life of the vice president of the nation. It is a very serious incident.
‘It is the most serious that has happened since the recovery of democracy. In front of a massive presence of people, a man pointed a firearm at her head and pulled the trigger.
‘Cristina remains alive because, for some reason, the weapon that had five bullets did not fire despite having been triggered.’
The President added: ‘Such a reality affects the Argentine people and in particular those of us who are her colleagues, who embrace her in solidarity with all our love.
‘This attack deserves the strongest repudiation from all political sectors, from all the men and women who make up the republic. This incident affects our democracy.’
The 69-year-old previously served as the 54th President of Argentina from 2007 to 2015, and was First Lady four years before that when her husband Nestor held the position.
The gun (pictured) which was fired at the Vice President, according to local media outlets
Police officers stand guard outside the house of Argentina’s Vice-President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner after she was attacked by an assailant with a gun
Montiel is led away by police officers after the attempted attack on Thursday evening before he was overpowered by security
Hundreds of supporters had gathered outside the major politician’s home as they awaited her return from court
The suspect is tackled and held by security after pointing the gun and pulling the trigger before it jammed
This comes after Fernandez de Kirchner asked her supporters to halt a protest on Saturday, while defending their right to demonstrate, after prosecutors requested a 12-year prison sentence for alleged corruption.
After a tense day in which thousands took to the streets to defend her and two were detained in clashes that injured seven police officers, Fernandez de Kirchner gave a brief evening speech on a makeshift stage in front of her house on Saturday.
‘In a democracy, the right to freedom of expression is fundamental,’ she said. ‘I want to say thank you and to ask you to go get some rest. It’s been a long day.’
Prosecutors accused Fernandez de Kirchner of defrauding the state and involvement in a scheme to divert public funds while president between 2007 and 2015.
The largest demonstration of her supporters took place outside the vice president’s home in Recoleta, where in the early morning hours police had set up fences in an effort to prevent a large gathering.
The vice president waves at supporters that waited for at her home in Recoleta Neighbourhood
A police officer stands guard as a member of a forensic team works near the house of Argentina’s Vice-President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner after she was attacked
Supporters of Argentine Vice-President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner outside Fernadez’ home following her assassination attempt
In the afternoon, the demonstrators, who claim that Fernandez de Kirchner is the victim of judicial persecution and that the fences were erected by Buenos Aires’ opposition mayor as a provocation, tore down the barriers and clashed with police. Hydrant trucks tried to disperse the crowds with water.
‘Today I woke up with the corner of my house literally besieged,’ Fernandez de Kirchner said in a tweet. ‘They want to ban demonstrations of love and support that are absolutely peaceful and joyful, which are taking place in the face of the judiciary’s already undeniable persecution.’
As a sign of support, President Alberto Fernandez later took to Twitter to criticize ‘the institutional violence unleashed by the city government.’
Mayor Horacio Rodriguez Larreta justified the placement of fences and the actions of the police, telling a news conference that ‘the demonstration turned into a situation of violence.’
Fernandez de Kirchner leads the most hardline wing of the center-left Peronist coalition that has governed Argentina since the end of 2019.
The verdict and any potential sentence will be decided by a judge, which could take months, though Fernandez de Kirchner could appeal any decision, possibly delaying a final verdict for years
A supporter of Argentine Vice-President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner remains outside Fernadez’s residence after a man pointed a gun at her in Buenos Aires
Police work behind a security cordon after the assassination attempt
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