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On Wednesday, the world was stunned by horrific news out of Ecuador.
Presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio was shot dead after attending an event in Quito, the country’s northern capital city.
The news was confirmed on social media by current president Guillermo Lasso.
He expressed his outrage and shock over the killing, and vowed that “this crime will not go unpunished.”
BREAKING: Ecuadorian Presidential Candidate Fernando Villavicencio assassinated at campaign event – Local media
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) August 10, 2023
According to a member of Villavicencio’s campaign team, he had just finished attending an event when a man stepped forward and shot him in the head.
This tragic death comes at a time when violence has become an increasingly pressing issue in Ecuador’s presidential election which is scheduled to take place on August 20th.
Just last week, Villavicencio himself reported that he and his team had been threatened by the leader of a drug trafficking gang.
His death follows two other high-profile political killings earlier this year: Agustín Intriago, mayor of Manta in July, and Omar Menéndez who ran for mayor in Puerto López back in February.
BREAKING: Ecuadorian Presidential Candidate Fernando Villavicencio has reportedly been assassinated at a campaign rally.
***The following video is the suspect who was captured at the rally***
According to reports, Villavicencio was shot three times in the head and a grenade was… pic.twitter.com/Eux659jzYw
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) August 10, 2023
The presence of drug cartels has grown significantly throughout Ecuador recently causing violent crime rates to skyrocket.
President Lasso stated that “organized crime has come a long way,” but promised that “the full weight of law is going fall upon them.”
The government must take stronger measures to combat these criminal organizations if it wants its citizens to feel safe again.
It is clear that something needs to be done about this growing problem before more innocent lives are taken away from us too soon.
