Last Updated: August 10, 2023, 06:44 IST
Ecuadorean presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio speaks during a campaign rally in Quito, Ecuador August 9, 2023. (Reuters)
Ecuadorian candidate shot dead after rally. Fernando Villavicencio, journalist and presidential hopeful, killed in Quito
Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio was fatally shot following a rally in Quito on Wednesday evening, local media reported citing Interior Minister Juan Zapata.
The 59-year-old journalist, Villavicencio, stood among the eight contenders in the August 20 presidential election.
JUST IN: Second video emerges from outside rally event at the moment Ecuador presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio was assassinated. pic.twitter.com/c98bAoPdnz— Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) August 10, 2023
The incident was caught on camera and is going viral on the internet. Videos circulating on social media show Villavicencio leaving the event with guards before entering a white truck, followed by gunfire.
The assassination occurred amidst a surge of violence in the country, marked by escalating drug trafficking and homicides.
President Guillermo Lasso asserted that this crime will not go unpunished. “Organized crime has crossed a line, but they will face the full extent of the law,” he added.
The slain politician represented the Build Ecuador Movement and was among the eight contenders for the upcoming August election.
Known for his vocal stance against corruption, particularly during former President Rafael Correa’s 2007-2017 tenure, Villavicencio lodged numerous legal complaints against high-ranking Correa government officials.
Initial reports indicate several others were wounded in the attack, though authorities haven’t verified the exact number.
Survived by his spouse and five children, Villavicencio’s legacy reverberates through his fight against corruption.
(With AP inputs)
