Ecuadorian Presidential Candidate Known for Anti-corruption Stance Murdered at Campaign Rally

Fernando Villavicencio, an Ecuadorian presidential contender recognized for his bold opposition to corruption and cartels, was fatally shot on Wednesday during a political gathering in the nation’s capital. The incident occurred amidst an alarming surge of gang-related violence across Ecuador.

President Guillermo Lasso has acknowledged Villavicencio’s assassination, implying that organized criminal groups were responsible for the murder, which occurred less than a fortnight before the presidential election on August 20.

President Lasso assured in a public statement that the crime will face justice, stating, “Organized crime has overstepped its bounds, but it will experience the full force of the law.”

According to Ecuador’s attorney general’s office, one individual suspected of involvement in the killing died in custody from injuries acquired in a gunfight after the incident. Additionally, six more suspects were arrested in raids carried out in Quito.

In his last public address, Villavicencio told an enthusiastic crowd of his commitment to eradicate corruption and imprison the nation’s criminals. He had previously revealed receiving several death threats, including from associates of Mexico’s notorious Sinaloa Cartel. His campaign was seen as a threat to various international criminal organizations operating in Ecuador.

“I’m standing here, unafraid,” Villavicencio stated, publicly identifying a detained criminal leader by his nickname, “Fito.”

The 59-year-old politician was a candidate for the Build Ecuador Movement and was not considered the election’s leading contender.

Supporters like Ida Paez found hope in Villavicencio’s campaign. Recounting the rally, Paez said, “We were joyful. Fernando even danced. His final words were, if you harm the people, you’re harming my family.”

The country has been reeling from an unprecedented level of violence as drug traffickers have started utilizing Ecuador’s coastal ports. This has led to gang warfare, recruitment of children by criminal groups, and other acts of violence, such as the recent killing of Manta’s mayor. In response, President Lasso declared a state of emergency in July covering two provinces and the national prison system.

Other political leaders expressed their distress following Wednesday’s murder, with former vice president and candidate Otto Sonnenholzner stating, “We are perishing in a sea of tears, and this is no way to live. Action is required.”

Social media footage showed Villavicencio departing the event under guard, and then entering a white pickup, followed by the sound of gunshots, screams, and chaos. The sequence was confirmed by Villavicencio’s campaign adviser, Patricio Zuquilanda.

Zuquilanda revealed that multiple death threats had been reported to authorities prior to the incident and demanded international intervention to curb the escalating violence and drug trade in the country.

Villavicencio, a fierce critic of corruption and an independent journalist, was renowned for his investigations into government corruption. He even filed numerous legal complaints against high-ranking officials during the tenure of President Rafael Correa and was later sentenced to prison for defamation. Villavicencio subsequently sought asylum in Peru.

According to Edison Romo, a former military intelligence colonel, Villavicencio’s stance against corruption posed a significant threat to global criminal networks.

Ecuador’s current President Lasso, elected in 2021, faced conflict with the left-leaning majority in the National Assembly, leading to a political crisis that resulted in the dissolution of the assembly and the call for new elections.

Authorities reported that Wednesday’s shooting also left at least nine others injured, including police officers and a congressional candidate, labeling it a “terrorist act.”

The assassination spurred widespread condemnation among other candidates, with presidential frontrunner Luisa González stating that an attack on one is an attack on all.

Villavicencio is survived by his wife and five children.

Reported by Janetsky from Mexico City.

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