The attorney general’s office announced on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, that a suspect in the murder of Ecuador presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio has died from injuries sustained during a shootout.
Villavicencio was shot and killed during a campaign event in northern Quito, according to local media reports.
The attorney general’s office stated, “A suspect, who was injured during the shootout with security personnel, was apprehended and transferred to the (attorney general’s) unit in Quito. An ambulance from the fire department confirmed his death, and the police are now collecting the body.”
Villavicencio’s political party, Movimiento Construye, reported that armed men attacked its Quito offices.
Ecuador’s police and Interior Ministry did not respond to requests for comment regarding the details of the killing.
President Guillermo Lasso expressed his determination to bring the perpetrators to justice, stating, “For his memory and his fight, I assure you that this crime will not go unpunished. Organized crime has gone too far, but they will face the full force of the law.”
Lasso announced an urgent meeting with top security officials to address the situation.
Videos circulating on social media showed people seeking cover and screaming as gunshots rang out.
WARNING: The following video contains graphic violence.
According to opinion polls, Villavicencio had a 7.5% support rating, ranking him fifth out of eight candidates in the upcoming presidential election on August 20.
Lasso’s government has attributed the increasing violence on the streets and in prisons to criminal disputes over control of drug trafficking routes used by Mexican cartels, the Albanian mafia, and others.
The issues of security, employment, and migration are major concerns for voters in the presidential race.
Villavicencio, hailing from the province of Chimborazo, was a former union member at the state oil company Petroecuador. He later became a journalist, exposing alleged oil contract losses amounting to millions.
On Tuesday, Villavicencio made a report to the attorney general’s office regarding an oil business, but no further details were disclosed.
Villavicencio was a vocal critic of former President Rafael Correa and was previously sentenced to 18 months in prison for defamation against Correa. He sought refuge in Indigenous territory within Ecuador and was later granted asylum in Peru.
As a legislator, Villavicencio faced criticism from opposition politicians for obstructing an impeachment process against Lasso earlier this year, leading to the calling of early elections.
Villavicencio had pledged to fight corruption and reduce tax evasion.
Other presidential candidates expressed shock and grief over the killing.
Presidential candidate Luisa Gonzalez, running for Correa’s party, denounced the act, stating, “This is a cause for mourning. My solidarity goes to his family and all those who share his ideals. This heinous act will not go unpunished!”
Indigenous candidate Yaku Perez announced the suspension of his presidential campaign and called for an end to the violence in a video posted after the incident.
Candidate Otto Sonnenholzner demanded action from the government, stating, “We don’t want empty words… Act now. We are dying.”
Presidential hopeful Jan Topic expressed condolences, saying, “Today, more than ever, we must take decisive action against crime. May God grant him eternal peace.” Topic also suspended his campaign.
(Reporting by Alexandra Valencia in Quito, additional reporting by Valentine Hilaire, Isabel Woodford and Carolina Pulice; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Lincoln Feast)
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