QUITO, Ecuador – Ecuadoran presidential hopeful Fernando Villavicencio was assassinated in the capital city of Quito.
The incident occurred on Wednesday, August 9, 2023, as he exited a stadium after hosting a campaign rally.
President Guillermo Lasso quickly condemned the assassination, blaming organised crime groups squarely.
He expressed his indignation and grief over the incident on X, previously known as Twitter, and made a stern commitment to ensure justice for Villavicencio’s brutal killing.
Indignado y consternado por el asesinato del candidato presidencial Fernando Villavicencio. Mi solidaridad y mis condolencias con su esposa y sus hijas. Por su memoria y por su lucha, les aseguro que este crimen no va a quedar impune.
El Gabinete de Seguridad se reunirá en…
— Guillermo Lasso (@LassoGuillermo) August 10, 2023
The 59-year-old centrist was set to compete in the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for August 20. He was among eight candidates contesting in the first round.
Leading newspaper El Universo reported the assassination as a hitman-style killing, with Villavicencio being targeted with three bullets to his head.
Notably, earlier in the month, Villavicencio had spoken about receiving threats aimed at him and his team, raising concerns about his safety.
According to recent polling data, Villavicencio, with his journalistic background and experience as a parliament member, was the second most popular choice among voters, trailing lawyer Luisa Gonzalez who has close ties with former left-wing President Rafael Correa.
In the past few years, Ecuador has witnessed escalating violence, mainly attributed to drug trafficking.
This surge in violence during the electoral phase has already resulted in the deaths of a mayor and another parliamentary candidate.
In a related development, earlier on Wednesday, August 9, 2023, the president of the National Electoral Council, CNE, Diana Atamaint, revealed that several CNE members responsible for overseeing the elections had also received death threats.
Reacting swiftly to the grave situation, President Lasso convened an emergency security meeting that saw the participation of key officials, including Atamaint, the Attorney General, and the president of the National Court of Justice.
Expressing his condolences, President Lasso reached out to Villavicencio’s bereaved family through his social media post, extending his support and solidarity in these trying times.
