Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio was fatally shot after a rally in Quito City on the evening of August 9, as reported by local media. Interior Minister Juan Zapata confirmed the incident.
A member of Villavicencio’s campaign team informed the media that while he was about to enter his car, an individual approached and shot him in the head.
Villavicencio, aged 59 and a journalist, was one of the contenders in the presidential election scheduled for August 20. The current president, Guillermo Lasso, confirmed the tragic news on social media.
Videos circulated on social platforms seemingly depict Villavicencio being escorted by his guards toward his vehicle. Gunshots can be heard as he enters the car.
Lasso shared on the social media platform X, “For his memory and his fight, I assure you that this crime will not remain unpunished.” He asserted that despite the significant reach of organized crime, the full force of the law will be brought to bear upon them. Lasso added that he has convened a critical meeting with top security officials.
In the preceding month, Lasso had declared a state of emergency and imposed night curfews in three provinces due to a series of killings tied to organized crime.
Villavicencio had been polling with a voting intention of 7.5 percent. In the days leading up to the incident, he had received threats. He openly acknowledged these threats last week, revealing that he and his team were targeted by the leader of a gang associated with drug trafficking.
Throughout his campaign, Villavicencio had emphasized themes of security, combating corruption, a subject he had previously covered as a journalist, and mitigating environmental degradation.
The presidential election is scheduled to proceed on August 20.
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