Former Kirchnerist municipal official arrested for assaulting President Javier Milei with glass bottle

Authorities arrested Gastón Mercanzini Tuesday for throwing a glass bottle at then-president-elect Javier Milei. Argentine newspaper La Nación explained that Mercanzini is a former Kirchnerist official from the municipality of Concepción del Uruguay, in Entre Ríos. He left the position when he was dismissed according to municipal decree 23.333 of Feb. 7, 2013.

"Openly Peronist, in his Instagram, Mercanzini defines himself as 'Entrerriano de Sagitario, lover of the laughter of red wine and photographer of this instant...' and shares images of his Kirchnerist militancy, such as a photo of a young Axel Kicillof and another with the phrase 'love overcomes hate,'" explained La Nación.

Ongoing investigation

The Minister of Security of Argentina, Patricia Bullrich, informed on Monday that she asked Judge Ariel Lijo, in charge of the case, for a swift investigation into the attack suffered by then-president-elect Javier Milei, when a glass bottle was thrown at him while he was in a convertible on his way to the Casa Rosada. As a result, a member of the presidential guard of the Federal Police was injured.

"I spoke with Judge Ariel Lijo, in charge of the case, for a prompt investigation into the aggression suffered yesterday by the president of the nation that injured Deputy Commissioner Guillermo Armentano, a member of the presidential guard of the Federal Police," said Bullrich on X (formerly Twitter). In addition, the minister said that "the one who [did the crime] will pay for it."

The incident was recorded in several videos that went viral on social media. On Monday, the subject was identified and is now wanted by the Police of the City of Buenos Aires. City Security Minister Waldo Wolff said that all the evidence is already in the hands of the justice system to determine the next steps.