A THIRD person was arrested today as part of the investigation into the botched assassination attempt against Argentina Vice-President Cristina Kirchner.

A woman was detained in San Miguel, a Buenos Aires suburb where police have launched several operations in recent days, the official Telam news agency said, citing judicial sources.

The man accused of trying to shoot Kirchner, Fernando Sabag Montiel, and his girlfriend Brenda Uliarte were previously arrested.

The latest detainee had allegedly been in contact with Uliarte both before and after the failed attack at the beginning of the month.

Authorities accuse Sabag Montiel, 35, and Uliarte, 23, of having tried to assassinate Kirchner “with planning and prior agreement.”

Sabag Montiel, whose motivation remains unknown, was arrested the night of the alleged assassination attempt just after pointing a gun at the vice president’s head, although the weapon did not fire.

He was in a crowd of people outside the former president’s home showing their support for her as she faces a corruption trial over alleged bribes in her Patagonian stronghold.

Authorities have yet to explain how or why the loaded gun did not fire, although apparently there was no bullet in the chamber.

Uliarte was arrested three days later at a train station in Buenos Aires.

Video surveillance footage showed the couple at the crime scene on the day of the alleged assassination attempt.

Their mobile phones also contained pictures of them posing with the Bersa pistol.

According to the judicial sources, the third suspect had been communicating with Uliarte for a month, even discussing a potential attack on Kirchner.

Authorities believe there was an aborted plan to attack Kirchner several days beforehand.

Security Minister Anibal Fernandez said today that security had been increased around Kirchner following a death threat made on the emergency services line. – AFP, September 13, 2022.