Cristina Fernández de Kirchner stood before the tribunal investigating the failed assassination plot of September 1, 2022, insisting that she was reinserted into Argentina a form of political violence that had been expelled since the democratic transition at the end of 1983. She noted that three material authors sat in the room, but questioned the absence of the ideologues and financiers behind the plan. The defendant, Fernando Sabag Montiel, drew a pistol close to her temple and admitted, before the court, the intent to carry out the lethal act, though the shot never happened. Sabag and his girlfriend Brenda Uliarte are charged with aggravated homicide. Nicolás Carrizo, the head of the group known as the “copitos” who posed as sugar-cube sellers involved in the attack, is viewed by prosecutors as a mere accomplice. If convicted, the first two could face twelve years in prison.
Her appearance in the Oral Court was awaited with keen interest, even though she largely reiterated her earlier line of defense, a point she reinforced on social media. In front of the judges, she affirmed, “I believe the judicial establishment protected and continues to shield those who were involved in this attack. It is a debt that must be paid, not to me, but to democracy.”
The former vice president recalled that she only realized she was targeted for assassination when she saw the footage from her home, on television. A scenario like this did not cross her mind during her presidency, she said, noting that she was naive about the political shift that had occurred, particularly the rise of the far right that brought Javier Milei to power in the last elections.
The pre-attack climate
The leading opposition figure described the assassination attempt as not occurring in isolation. It followed a charged atmosphere marked by heated media rhetoric, objects hurled at her Senate office, and harassment outside her home. In 2022 she also faced a six-year sentence in a separate corruption case in the Patagonia province of Santa Cruz, a longtime Kirchnerist stronghold. She complained that the prosecutor’s argument by Diego Luciani used language unbecoming of a process conducted on the basis of evidence, while alleging that the case sought to disqualify her. She recalled that protests at her home culminated in the single shot that failed to fire. She also pointed out that Sabag Montiel had sought defense from Luciani at one point.
The September 1 incident shocked the country: most political leaders denounced the attempted murder, regardless of personal stance toward Kirchner. Only Milei and the current Minister of Security, Patricia Bullrich, abstained from publicly condemning it.
According to Fernández de Kirchner, the moment marked a double victimization: first, she had to prove she bore no responsibility for the attack, and second, the judge María Eugenia Capuchetti and prosecutor Carlos Rívolo did not move beyond investigating the material perpetrators despite substantial evidence. The day after Sabag Montiel’s arrest, his phone, under police custody, was emptied of information. Legal counsel also argued unsuccessfully for transparency regarding the possible roles of Bullrich and the legislator Gerardo Millman. They noted that two of Bullrich’s advisers were present in her office, where their phones were reportedly destroyed. Uliarte asserted in writing that her ex-boyfriend had ties to the legislator and to Revolución Federal, a far-right movement that had received funding from Caputo Hermanos, a family-owned company linked to Rossana Caputo, sister of the current Economy Minister, Luis Caputo. The defense attorney for Uliarte challenged Kirchner directly, asking her to disclose what she knew about those connections. Morel, a figure from the cited network, reportedly received significant sums for carpentry work, with transfers documented.
Gender and politics
In a moment when Argentina faced scrutiny over the treatment of women in power, the former president emphasized the gendered dimension of political hostility. She stated that being a woman in a high-profile role intensified public attacks: “It’s obvious that the power dynamic makes it worse for a woman. If a man opposed this, it wouldn’t bother people as much.” She clarified that she was not claiming to be a feminist, but she rejected the suggestion that she was naive about the political shifts around her.
Since that day in September, Kirchner has described a lasting impact on her family. Her granddaughter lived with fear about leaving her room, reflecting the personal toll of the attempted assassination. The political landscape shifted with Milei’s ascent, but the events of that day remain a persistent memory for her and her relatives.