Police have arrested a man after he pointed a gun at Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner from close range. Argentina's president called the incident one of the "most serious" events since the country returned to democracy.

Argentine Vice President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner was threatened by a man with a gun outside her home in Buenos Aires on Thursday.

The man emerged from a crowd as Kirchner was greeting hundreds of supporters outside her house. The vice president is currently embroiled in a corruption probe. The incident comes amid rising social and political tension in Argentina.

What happened in the attempted shooting?

Television footage showed the suspect pointing a gun at Kirchner's head from close range without firing. No shots were fired and the vice president was unharmed.

President Alberto Fernandez said the gun had been loaded with five bullets.

"A man pointed a firearm at her head and pulled the trigger. Cristina is still alive because, for some reason yet to be confirmed, the gun ... did not fire," he said in a televised address.

"This is the most serious event we have gone through since Argentina returned to democracy," he said.

Economy Minister Sergio Massa called the incident an "attempted assassination."

Massa expressed his solidarity with the vice president, writing on Twitter, "When hate and violence prevail over the debate of ideas, they destroy societies and generate situations like today's: an assassination attempt."

According to police the man was arrested and "a weapon was found a few meters from the scene."

Security minister Anibal Fernandez said the authorities would now analyze fingerprints for more information.

Local media report the suspect is a 35-year-old Brazilian.

Who is Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner?

Kirchner served as president of Argentina for two terms between 2007 and 2015.

She has been a divisive political figure, currently accused of corruption in awarding public works contracts in the southern region of Patagonia.

Prosecutors accused the vice president of defrauding the state and scheming to divert public funds while president between 2007 and 2015. They have asked for a lifetime ban from politics for the former president and a 12-year prison sentence.

Kirchner denies the charges. The verdict is expected at the end of the year.