Argentina's Justice System Delivers Sentencing in High-Profile Assassination Attempt Case

In a significant ruling, the Argentine Justice system has sentenced Fernando Sabag Montiel, the primary suspect in the attempted murder of former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, to ten years in prison. This incident, which took place on September 1, 2022, involved Montiel shooting at Kirchner from mere centimeters away from her face outside her home. The prosecution had sought a 15-year sentence for Montiel, who confessed in June 2024 that his motive stemmed from beliefs that Kirchner was a thief, murderer, and corrupt. Montiel was convicted on charges of attempted aggravated homicide due to premeditation, political violence, and the use of a firearm, which all fell under the category of gender violence. Coinciding with the verdict announcement, he claimed that the accusations against him were fabricated, drawing parallels to the case of prosecutor Alberto Nisman, who was found dead from a gunshot wound after accusing Kirchner of covering up the 1994 AMIA bombing. Montiel, who previously faced a four-year prison sentence for child pornography, was linked to a street group known informally as 'Los Copitos,' who sold cotton candy outside schools. Investigations revealed that Montiel had visited the Recoleta neighborhood in Buenos Aires multiple times prior to the attack. The firearm used in the attack, a .32 caliber pistol, was confirmed to be functional; however, none of the bullets were chambered for use at the time. In a related ruling, Montiel's ex-girlfriend, Brenda Uliarte, received an eight-year prison sentence, despite the prosecution requesting more than 14 years. Evidence presented during the trial included numerous communications wherein Uliarte expressed intentions to kill the former president. Another co-defendant, Nicolás Carrizo, leader of the Los Copitos group, was acquitted after the prosecution retracted charges against him. The verdict comes in the same week that Argentine Justice decided to shelve a case against former deputy Gerardo Milman, who was alleged to have connections to the assassination plot. Uliarte alleged that Milman, a close associate of current Security Minister Patricia Bullrich, financed protests designed to stir violence against Kirchner. This tumultuous political atmosphere coincides with Kirchner's own legal troubles; she was sentenced to six years in prison and permanently disqualified amidst ongoing allegations of corruption related to her presidency. As the case unfolds, it raises significant questions about political violence and the intersection of justice and political retribution in Argentina. The implications of these verdicts are yet to be fully understood as the country grapples with the aftermath of such a high-profile incident. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2