Ecuador Apprehends 6 Foreigners Involved in Assassination Plot; 7th Individual Fatally Wounded

The Ecuadorian presidential candidate, Fernando Villavicencio, was assassinated on Wednesday, leading to the arrest of six Colombian nationals connected to the crime. According to a police report, these individuals were hiding in a residence in Quito, the capital of Ecuador. During the arrest, authorities discovered four shotguns, a rifle, ammunition, grenades, a motorcycle, and another vehicle. Furthermore, a seventh suspect, also from Colombia, died from injuries sustained during a shootout with the police on Thursday (source: BBC).

This incident marks the first assassination of a presidential candidate in Ecuador. The New York Times reports that just last month, the mayor of Manta was also fatally shot. Fernando Villavicencio, known for his strong stance against crime and government corruption, had received at least three death threats leading up to his murder (source: New York Times).

The involvement of Colombians in this assassination case draws parallels to the killing of Haitian President Jovenel Moise two years ago. Currently, 18 former Colombian soldiers are detained in Haiti, awaiting trial for their involvement in that assassination. Ecuador, a nation located between drug-laden countries Colombia and Peru, has been grappling with its own drug trafficking issues, resulting in a surge of violence not witnessed in decades (source: AP).

Political scientist Arianna Tanca, commenting on the situation, believes that this year’s election violence makes it the most violent in Ecuador’s history. She suggests that a new perspective on politics is necessary, as it has become a high-risk profession. Despite the tragedy, Ecuador’s president, Guillermo Lasso, affirms that the upcoming elections will proceed as planned, stating that democracy must endure and be strengthened in the face of such adversities (source: AP).