atentar

To carry out or attempt a violent attack, or — more broadly — to threaten or undermine something serious: atentar contra la vida de alguien, atentar contra la democracia. It's always followed by contra, never a, and shows up constantly in news coverage of violence and political rhetoric about threats to institutions or rights.

• Los delincuentes atentaron contra la vida del testigo. — The criminals made an attempt on the witness's life.
• Esa ley atenta contra los derechos de los trabajadores. — That law undermines workers' rights.
• Fue acusado de atentar contra la seguridad del Estado. — He was accused of threatening state security.

Saying atentar a instead of atentar contra — the verb only takes the preposition contra, a distinction language authorities like Fundéu specifically flag as a common error.

• quote Carta de Benito Juárez a Maximiliano (1864) — In his May 28, 1864 letter rejecting Maximilian's offer to join the imperial government, Benito Juárez wrote that it is given to man to attack others' rights and 'atentar contra la vida de los que defienden su nacionalidad' (attack the lives of those who defend their nationality) — one of the most quoted lines in Mexican political history.