A man pointed a pistol at the head of Vice President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner of Argentina on Thursday night and appeared to try to fire but the gun did not go off, according to video footage on television and social media. She appeared unharmed.
Ms. Kirchner, a leftist former president who is perhaps the most prominent leader in Argentina, is a deeply polarizing figure in the country and is on trial on corruption charges. Her supporters have rallied outside her home in Buenos Aires since last week, sometimes clashing with the police.
The federal police arrested Fernando Andres Sabag Montiel, 35, a Brazilian man living in Argentina, in connection with the attack, according to the Buenos Aires police.
The federal police found a pistol near the home, the Buenos Aires police said.
Multiple videos posted to social media showed Ms. Kirchner exiting her vehicle into a large crowd outside her home when a man quickly approached and pointed a gun inches from her face. A clicking sound heard in videos suggested that the man might have then tried to pull the trigger. Ms. Kirchner crouched down and the man was pulled away.
