Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicenciosecond in voting intention, was murdered this Wednesday night at the exit of a rally in Quito.
President, William Lassoblamed the attack on members of the “organized crime”to whom “the full weight of the law will fall.”
Villavicencio was one of eight presidential candidates for the early general elections to be held on 20th of August.
The Prosecutor’s Office reported that in the attack they also recorded “9 injuredamong them a candidate for assembly and two police officers”, in addition to the death of one of the alleged attackers, shot down by security personnel.
the doctor Carlos Figueroaa friend of the victim and who was with him at the time of the attack, told the press that the attackers carried out around 30 shots.
“They ambushed him outside” the sports center, he recalled. “Some (of those present) even thought they were fireworks.”
The newspaper The universethe country’s principal, said that Villavicencio was murdered “hitman style and with three shots to the head.”
Police detonated an explosive device planted in the area, said Alain Luna, director of investigations for the security body.
“It terrifies us”
“Outraged and shocked by the murder of the presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio. My solidarity and condolences with his wife and his daughters,” he said. Lasso through the social network X.
“For his memory and for his fight, I assure you that this crime will not go unpunished (…) organized crime has come a long way,” said the president of Ecuador, a country that has suffered an onslaught of crime in recent years linked to drug trafficking
The murder rate it doubled between 2021 and 2022, when 25 homicides were recorded for every 100,000 inhabitants.
international condemnation
Countries and organizations such as the United States, Spain, Chile and the OAS observer mission separately condemned the crime, which was branded as “obnoxious” and “wild”.
«We are horrified by the tragic attack (…) Violence cannot win. Democracy does”, declared the ambassador of the European Union (EU), Charles-Michel Geurts, by X.
Could it have been avoided?
A week ago, Villavicencio –a staunch opponent of correísmo– announced threats against him and his campaign team allegedly came from the leader of a criminal band linked to drug trafficking.
“Despite the new threats, we will continue fighting for the brave people of our #Ecuador,” the politician wrote at the time for X.
First suspect deceased
A man suspicious of having assassinated this Wednesday the candidate for the Presidency of Ecuador Fernando Villavicencio He died after having a shootout with security personnel, according to the Prosecutor’s Office.
The Public Ministry reported through social networks that the man, “who was injured during the crossing of bullets with security personnel, he was apprehended and taken badly injured to the Flagrancy Unit in Quito.”
“An ambulance from the Fire Department confirmed his death. The Police proceed with the removal of the body, “detailed the Prosecutor’s Office about the alleged perpetrator of the murder of Villavicencio.
