Argentinian court sentences attacker in Kirchner assasination attempt

A federal court in Buenos Aires has sentenced Fernando Sabag Montiel to 10 years in prison for the attempted assassination of former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.

While his accomplice, Brenda Uliarte, received an eight-year sentence for her involvement in the meticulously planned 2022 attack that shocked the nation.

The dramatic incident unfolded on September 1, 2022, when Sabag Montiel infiltrated a crowd of supporters gathered outside Kirchner's residence in the Recoleta neighborhood.

In a moment captured on multiple security cameras, he pushed through the throng, pointed a loaded Bersa Thunder 9mm pistol directly at the former president's face from mere inches away, and pulled the trigger.

The weapon, though fully functional and loaded with five bullets, failed to fire due to a faulty cartridge that had not been properly chambered.

The prosecution built a comprehensive case demonstrating the attack was premeditated. Evidence included extensive WhatsApp conversations between the defendants discussing the firearm and their intentions.

Financial records revealed Uliarte had purchased the weapon weeks before the attack.

During the emotionally charged trial, Sabag Montiel confessed to the crime, telling the three-judge panel that his actions were meant to "bring justice" for corruption allegations against the former president.

Uliarte maintained her innocence despite overwhelming evidence of her involvement in planning the attack.

The sentencing brings closure to a case that has deeply divided Argentina. Kirchner, who currently serves a separate six-year sentence for corruption under house arrest, remains one of Latin America's most influential yet polarizing political figures.