Toba Owojaiye reporting
In a stunning occurrence on Wednesday night, Fernando Villavicencio, a candidate in the Ecuadoran presidential race, was assassinated subsequent to a campaign rally held in Quito.
President Guillermo Lasso promptly turned to Twitter to convey his shock and implicated “organized crime” in Villavicencio’s demise. Lasso’s tweet read, “I am deeply disturbed and appalled by the murder of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio. In memory of his contributions and his struggle, I assure you that this heinous act will not escape justice.”
The centrist candidate, aged 59, who was preparing for the initial round of the presidential elections slated for August 20, was fatally shot as he departed a stadium located in northern Quito.
A leading publication, El Universo, characterized the killing as being carried out “assassin-style with three gunshot wounds to the head.”
Villavicencio had previously expressed concerns about threats to his safety and that of his team. In response to the crisis, President Lasso convened a meeting with senior security officials for urgent discussions. He emphasized, “Organized crime has crossed a line, but they will face the full extent of the law.”
Recent surveys had positioned Villavicencio, a former journalist and parliamentarian, in second place, trailing behind lawyer Luisa Gonzalez, an associate of former leftist president Rafael Correa. Ecuador has been grappling with a surge in violence linked to drug trafficking. This upsurge in criminal activity has already resulted in the deaths of a mayor and another parliamentary candidate amidst the ongoing electoral process.
Earlier in the day, the president of the National Electoral Council (CNE), Diana Atamaint, revealed that several council members had received threats. Atamaint was one of the individuals called to an emergency security meeting, along with other high-ranking officials.
Concluding his statement, President Lasso extended his sympathies to the grieving family, stating, “I offer my support and condolences to his wife and daughters during this difficult time.”
