An Argentine court on Wednesday sentenced Sabag Montiel, 38, to 10 years in prison for his failed attempt to assassinate former president Cristina Kirchner, a shocking act that drew nationwide attention. The incident occurred on September 1, 2022, when Montiel pointed a gun at Kirchner’s head as she mingled with supporters outside her home. He pulled the trigger, but the gun misfired, sparing her life. The assassination attempt, captured on video, took place while Kirchner, a left-wing leader, was on trial for fraud.
Montiel was convicted of aggravated attempted murder using a firearm. The presiding judge, in a court north of Buenos Aires, ruled that Montiel would serve a combined total of 14 years after factoring in previous convictions. His former girlfriend, Brenda Uliarte, was sentenced to eight years after being found guilty of acting as a "necessary accomplice" in the attack. During the trial, Montiel described his actions as “an act of justice,” claiming that Kirchner, who served as president from 2007 to 2015, “corrupts, steals, and harms society.” Uliarte’s defense argued mental incompetence, while a third defendant had charges dropped after prosecutors determined he was unaware of the plot.
Political analysts noted that the assassination attempt reignited fears of politically motivated violence in Argentina. Analyst Facundo Cruz told AFP that the attack evoked “dark memories” of the 1976-1983 dictatorship, when political activists were systematically targeted, and warned that “something that was thought to have been banished…could still happen” again.
The failed attack sparked massive public mobilization, with hundreds of thousands of Kirchner’s supporters taking to the streets in solidarity. The attempt coincided with the start of her corruption trial, which ultimately resulted in her conviction and house arrest since June. The 72-year-old former president has repeatedly asserted that her political adversaries “want me in prison or dead,” highlighting the intense polarization surrounding her figure in Argentine politics.
