A tragic incident unfolded during a campaign event in Ecuador as opposition candidate Fernando Villavicencio was assassinated. The horrifying incident took place at a school north of the capital Quito where the Movimiento Construye (or Build Movement) political party was holding a rally ahead of the upcoming elections on August 20, as reported by CNN. Fernando Villavicencio, a former lawmaker, had been polling at around 7.5% according to Fox News. He was one of the seven presidential candidates who had been under police protection. Following the assassination, a suspect was shot dead during a shootout, according to Reuters citing the local prosecutor’s office. This shocking incident has sent shockwaves throughout Ecuador.
Ecuador’s President Guillermo Lasso expressed his outrage and shock over the assassination and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice. The President acknowledged the presence of organized crime in the country, stating that it has become a major issue due to the nation’s geographical location between Peru and Colombia, two of the biggest drug-producing regions. Ecuador has unfortunately become part of the cocaine trafficking routes, leading to increased violence as rival gangs fight for control and drug distribution. In a previous interview, Villavicencio himself referred to his country as a “narco state” and called for the armed forces and police to take action against the political mafia. The tragic incident highlights the urgent need for addressing drug-related issues in Ecuador.
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