After a murder attempt against Cristina Kirchner on Thursday night (1), political personalities and politicians showed solidarity with Argentina’s vice president and repudiated the crime. On the same night, Argentinian president Alberto Fernández released a statement about the attack. “It’s the most serious fact since returned to democracy”, said the country’s president.
Former president Lula (Workers’ Party), who is running for the upcoming elections, said that Cristina Kirchner was a “victim of a fascist criminal who doesn’t respect divergences and diversity”. “I hope the attacker faces legal consequences. This political violence and hate that have been stimulated by some people is a threat to democracy in our region. The democrats of the world won’t tolerate any violence due to political divergences”, Lula posted on Twitter.
Lula’s vice presidential ticket partner Geraldo Alckmin (Brazilian Socialist Party) also expressed solidarity. “God lied his hand over her and prevented the unthinkable from happening. Respect for different [opinions] is fundamental to living in society. There is no way but peace”, he wrote.
Similarly, presidential candidate Ciro Gomes (Democratic Labor Party) said that the attack against Argentina’s former president and current vice president “almost transformed into a bloodshed the cloud of hate that is spreading across the continent. Our solidarity goes to this strong woman who will not be intimidated”.
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Another candidate, Simone Tebet (Brazilian Democratic Movement) said that it is necessary “to put an end” to political violence. “Leaders must repudiate these attitudes. Thank God the gun jammed. What a sad thing! I reiterate my pro-peace stance in politics and in the elections”, Tebet posted on her Twitter account.
Kirchner also received solidarity messages from Soraya Thronicke, presidential candidate from the Brazil Union Party. “We can’t underestimate hate”, she said. Candidate Sofia Manzano wrote: “I express solidarity with Cristina Kirchner, Argentina’s vice president, [who was the] victim of a murder attempt”.
Still about presidential candidates’ statements on the case, Leonardo Péricles (Popular Unity) expressed solidarity and said that to “stop this escalating fascism, which doesn’t respect the laws and democracy, we have to follow the Argentinian people’s reaction. On September 7, we must occupy the streets all around Brazil!”.
Jair Bolsonaro (Liberal Party), Felipe D’Ávila (New Party), Eymael (Christian Democracy), and Vera Lúcia (Unified Socialist Workers’ Party) did not comment until the publication of this news story.
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Among the presidents of South American countries, Gabriel Boric from Chile said that “the murder attempt against Argentina’s vice president Cristina Fernández deserves to be repudiated and condemned by the whole continent”. And added: “The path will always be one of debating ideas and talking, not guns and violence”.
Venezuela’s president Nicolás Maduro stated that the Venezuelan people “vehemently condemns this action seeking to destabilize peace among our brother people, the Argentinians. The Great Homeland is with you, compañera”.
In Peru, Pedro Castillo said that his government “condemns the attack that occurred today against your [Kirchner’s] life. We repudiate any violent act”. In Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel said that he is “shocked and sad” by the murder attempt and expressed solidarity with Kirchner and the Argentinian people.
Bolivia’s former president Evo Morales also condemned the attack. “The Great [Bolivian] Homeland is with you, my sister. The criminal right wing, always serving imperialism, will not succeed. The free and noble people of Argentina will defeat them”, he wrote.
Murder attempt
A Brazilian national was arrested with a gun just a few meters away from Cristina Kirchner when the vice president approached militants who were waiting for her in front of her house in the Recoleta neighborhood to greet them. The footage shows a gun wielded by an unkown person in the crowd. The gun was loaded with five bullets but allegedly did not work at the moment the trigger was pulled.
Argentina’s minister of security Aníbal Fernandéz stated to the newspaper Clarín that the detainee, identified as Fernando Andres Sabag Montiel, 35, had a gun. He had already been arrested in March 2021 for carrying an unconventional weapon. Since 1993, the Brazilian man has allegedly been a permanent Argentinian citizen.
In a photo of the attacker that is being shared online, a tattoo of a black sun, a Nazi symbol, can be seen on one of the man’s elbows.
“Now, the situation must be analyzed by the Scientific [Police Unit] to assess the traits, skills, and disposition this man had [to commit the crime]”, Fernandéz said.
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During the past few weeks, the social temperature in Argentina has been determined by the request for 12 years in prison for the vice president, as well as by the vigil that was set up in front of her house to show support and condemn the ongoing lawfare process she is facing.
In a press conference in the Congress, the Chamber of Deputies president Cecilia Moureau highlighted that a ministers’ meeting will be held this Friday (2) to debate the issue, as well as condemnation sessions in the Chambers of Deputies, Senate, and deliberative councils.
At the conference, deputy Sergio Pallazo emphasized the support they received also from opposing politicians. “We received visits from senators from the opposition, and we appreciate it”, noting that on this Friday there will also be a mobilization in repudiation of the attack. “The repudiation is not just due to the attack occurred today, but to the systematic attacks Cristina has been subjected to for quite some time,” he said.
Senator José Mayans also made a statement, visibly shocked. “We express our repudiation and our sadness. We want to express solidarity with the vice president after this regrettable event against her and her family. We hope for immediate clarification. We want social peace for Argentina.”
Edited by: Flávia Chacon e Vivian Virissimo
