Opposition Leader Assassinated Ahead of August Elections
The assassination took place at a campaign event in the capital Wednesday as a deadly escalation of violence and crime grips the country

Opposition Leader Assassinated Ahead of August Elections
A candidate in Ecuador’s upcoming presidential election, Fernando Villavicencio, was assassinated at a campaign event in the capital Wednesday as a deadly escalation of violence and crime grips the South American country.
Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso vowed the killing would not go unpunished, saying that “organized crime has come a long way, but the full weight of the law will fall on them.”
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Lasso announced a state of emergency for 60 days, immediate mobilization of the armed forces across the country and three days of national mourning.
Villavicencio was shot and killed as he was leaving a campaign rally at a school north of the capital Quito, 10 days before the first round of the presidential election was set to take place.
The suspected gunman died in police custody following an exchange of fire with security personnel, Ecuador’s Attorney General’s Office said in a statement.
Opposition Leader Assassinated Ahead of August Elections
It has launched an investigation into the attack, which injured nine people, including a candidate for the National Assembly and two police officers.

Later, the Ecuadorian Prosecutor’s Office said six people had been arrested during raids in Quito’s Conocoto and San Bartolo neighbourhoods and that Villavicencio’s body had been transferred to a morgue for an autopsy.
Video circulating on social media appears to show the moment Villavicencio was fatally shot.
The footage appears to show Villavicencio walking away from the campaign rally toward a vehicle surrounded by several police officers and a crowd of onlookers.
As he gets into the back seat of the vehicle, at least 12 gunshots can be heard. A policeman quickly closes the door behind Villavicencio and many people are seen taking cover from the gunfire, including his security detail.
Watch Video:
#BREAKING ‼️⚡️ Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio ASSASSINATED during a campaign event pic.twitter.com/z1jp9XDEPi
— What the media hides. (@narrative_hole) August 10, 2023