NEW YORK – Authorities in Ecuador reported that Six are currently detained in connection with the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio shot dead yesterday in the middle of a campaign event in Quito.
The president of the South American country Guillermo Lasso reported in a press conference during the early hours of today that the alleged shooter died in the middle of a confrontation with police officers.
Lasso, who classified the event as a “political crime” of a “terrorist” nature.established a state of exception for 60 days throughout the country. The order provides for the activation of the Armed Forces throughout the national territory.
Elements of the National Police joined the mobilization of the Armed Forces.
With part of the resources, security will be redoubled in all electoral precincts.
Apart from the state of emergency, the Executive decreed three days of national mourning.
The attack against Villavicencio was reported at around 6:15 pm this Wednesday in a school in the north of the Ecuadorian capital.
The official explained that, at the time of the attack that ended the life of the presidential candidatel, the suspects threw a grenade that did not immediately explode. The device was destroyed through a controlled detonation made by the National Police.
The intention of the attackers was to camouflage themselves.
Several people were injured in the incident.
Lasso assured that the investigation of the facts continues.
“The investigations continue and we will apply all the rigor of the law, so that those responsible for materials and intellectuals pay with the maximum penalty,” added the president.
Despite the chaos unleashed in the country by the armed attack, The president indicated that the elections on August 20 will not be postponed.
“The State stands firm and democracy does not give in to the brutality of this murder. We are not going to hand over power and democratic institutions to organized crime, even if it is disguised as political organizations,” the president stated.
“We do not doubt that this assassination is an attempt to sabotage the electoral process.. It is not a coincidence that this reprehensible act occurs a few days after the first presidential round ”, he pointed out.
Villavicencio, a candidate for the Build List 25 movement, was a native of Alausí, in Chimborazo.
The politician had a degree in Social Communication from the University of Colombia and was married to Verónica Sarauz, with whom he had three children.
A report from El Universo today highlights that Villavicencio began in politics in the 90s as a member of Pachakutik (PK) a left-wing indigenous party.
In addition, he served as a union leader in the state-owned Petroecuadorwhere he was also an official in the Communication area.
Subsequently, The Ecuadorian worked in various print media and he founded the Investigative Journalism portal, from where he mainly oversaw oil contracts. Villavicencio was considered at the same time by some as an “anti-corruption activist.”
During the government of Rafael Correa, Villavicencio was considered one of his main opponents.
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