© Reuters Photo: Argentina’s Vice President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner speaks to supporters as they gather outside her home, days after Fernandez was indicted on corruption charges, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, August 27, 2022. REUTERS/Mariana Nedelcu
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – Argentine Vice President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner was threatened with a gun by an unidentified assailant on Thursday, local television said.
The incident took place at the entrance to Fernandez de Kirchner’s Buenos Aires home, where hundreds of protesters have gathered in recent days to support the former president, who is facing corruption charges.
The country’s economy minister, Sergio Massa, called it an “attempted assassination”.
“When hatred and violence prevail over arguments, communities are destroyed and situations like this happen: assassination attempts,” he said on Twitter.
A police spokesman told Reuters that an “armed” man was arrested near the residence and that “the weapon was found a few meters from the scene.” He said the man might be Brazilian.
Television footage showed that after the man pointed the gun at Fernandez in the crowd, no shots were fired. Local media reported that the man is middle-aged.