Buenos Aires was gripped by two security fears this morning, after the spectre of violence reared its head in Argentina again, just a week after two officials were killed in a shock shooting attack.
Argentine officials said Monday morning they had detained a man who tried to walk into the presidential palace with a gun, while seeking a meeting with President Mauricio Macri.
The news came after a series of bomb threats were made against the National Congress and the Casa Rosada.
The Télam state news agency said that agents detained Francisco Ariel Muñiz, 36, when he tried to enter Government House with a .44-calibre Taurus revolver inside a briefcase. According to reports, the gun was not loaded.
Officials say he claimed to have a private audience scheduled with President Macri. The man arrived at around 9.30am to Balcarce 78, minutes before President Macri was due to arrive.
Sources say the man did request a meeting in 2018 with the president, though the request was turned down.
Muñiz tried to escape, but was detained by presidential security agents at a nearby Subte station.
Security Minister Patricia Bullrich said he'll be given a medical examination.
Télam later said explosives experts from the federal police were sent to a congressional building, the annex of the Chamber of Deputies and the presidential office following bomb threats made via anonymous calls at around 1pm local time. It's not clear if the two incidents are related.
Government officials said later the buildings were not evacuated and no suspect devices were found.
Today's developments came just 24 hours after Cambiemos officials confirmed the death of La Rioja national deputy Héctor Olivares, 61.
He passed away Sunday of gunshot wounds he suffered last week in a daylight attack outside the Congress building in Buenos Aires, in which Marcelo Yadón, 58, a civil servant and a close friend, dead at the scene.
Six people have been detained, including two men arrested Friday for the shooting which happened a day earlier and left
Authorities say they do not think the shooting was politically motivated.
- TIMES/AP/AFP
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