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A man was detained Thursday night after pointing a handgun at point-blank range at politically powerful Argentine Vice President Cristina Fernandez, who said the assassination attempt failed because the gun did not fire. .
“A man put a gun to her head and pulled the trigger,” the president said on national television.
Calling it “the most serious incident since democracy was restored” in 1983, it urged political leaders and society at large to deny the incident.
Supporters of the vice president flocked to the streets around her home last week when prosecutors called for Fernandez to serve 12 years in prison and a lifetime ban from holding public office as part of an alleged corruption case. I’m here. Engaged in public works from 2007 to his 2015 presidency. Fernandez, who has no connection to the current president, has denied all charges.
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Shortly after a video of the scene aired on a local TV channel, the president showed Fernandez getting out of his car surrounded by supporters outside his home before the man reached out with what appeared to be a pistol. I saw you there.
The vice president crouched and the supporters surrounding the figure appeared shocked at what was going on amidst the commotion going on in the Recoleta neighborhood of the Argentine capital.
The man, whose identity was never revealed by authorities, was taken into custody seconds after the incident.
The president said the firearm had five bullets and “didn’t fire when the trigger was pulled.”
There was no indication that the Vice President suffered any damage. her whereabouts were unknown.
Security Minister Aníbal Fernández told local cable news channel C5N: “A person identified by someone close to him who had a gun was detained by (the vice president’s) security personnel. He said.
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The minister said he wanted to provide details cautiously until the investigation revealed them.
An unconfirmed video posted on social media shows the pistol almost touching Fernandez’s face.
State news agency Tellam identified the suspect as Brazilian citizen Fernando Andrés Zabak. Authorities have not confirmed the information.
Government officials were quick to describe the incident as an assassination attempt.
Economy Minister Sergio Massa said: “When the discussion of ideas is inflicted with hatred and violence, societies are destroyed and we get what we see today – attempted assassinations.
Cabinet ministers in Alberto Fernandez’s government issued a news release saying they “vigorously condemned the attempted murder” of the vice president. “What happened tonight is extremely grave and threatens democracy, institutions and the rule of law,” reads the release.
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Former President Mauricio Macri also denied the attack. “This extremely serious incident requires an immediate and thorough explanation by the judiciary and security forces,” Macri wrote on Twitter.
Patricia Bulrich, leader of the opposition Republican Proposal Party, criticized the president, saying, “Instead of seriously investigating serious cases, he denounces the opposition and the press and institutes national holidays to mobilize activists. “I’m playing with fire,” he said.
Tensions have risen in the upper-class Recoleta neighborhood since the weekend when supporters of the vice president clashed with police in the streets around her apartment as law enforcement officers attempted to clear the area. A strong police presence around the apartment has been curtailed.
Fernandez leaves his apartment around noon each day to greet supporters, sign autographs, and then drive to the Senate. She repeats the same routine every night.
After the incident, the vice president’s supporters were quick to point the finger at the opposition for what they said was hate speech promoting violence. said they were looking for the deceased.
Buenos Aires Governor Axel Kislov said, “This is a historic event in Argentina, and it has to be before and after.
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Local leaders also condemned the attack.
Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro tweeted: “I express my solidarity with the attempt on the life of the Vice President.
Former Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, a candidate in next month’s Brazilian presidential election, also called Fernandez “a victim of fascist criminals who don’t know how to respect differences and diversity”, calling Fernandez expressed solidarity with