Ecuador’s presidential candidates for the August 20 elections expressed their shock and outrage over the murder of political opponent Fernando Villavicencio, who was shot outside an electoral rally in Quito.
Within minutes of confirming the death of the journalist and former congressman, now a presidential candidate, the other seven candidates expressed their condolences and solidarity with the family, friends and loved ones of Villavicencio.
Former Vice President Otto Sonnenholzner expressed “the deepest condolences and the deepest solidarity” and wished “that God have him in his glory.”
“Our country is out of control,” Sonnenholzner said, referring to the security crisis in Ecuador, which virtually monopolized the debate during the electoral campaign.
Luisa González, candidate of Revolución Ciudadana, the party led by former President Rafael Correa (2007-2017), said that she received “with indignation, helplessness and deep sadness the terrible news of the attack that caused the death of Fernando Villavicencio.”
“This vile act will not go unpunished,” González said of Villavicencio, who has established himself as one of the former president’s main detractors, with allegations of corruption in his administration.
For his part, the leftist and environmentalist Yaku Pérez said he was “appalled by the tragic and reprehensible murder of Fernando Villavicencio.”
“My deepest condolences to his family and loved ones. This act will not go unpunished, Ecuador does not deserve another death, it is time for us to unite and restore peace,” Pérez said.
Along the same lines, businessman and security expert Jan Topic expressed “deep regret as an Ecuadorian” for the deadly attack suffered by Villavicencio.
“Today more than ever we reiterate the need to take firm measures against crime. God bless him,” Topic said.
“This is an attack against the homeland, democracy and peace of all Ecuadorians,” said businessman and former congressman Daniel Noboa.
The businessman and politician Xavier Hervás assured that Ecuador “reached a critical point” in the security crisis with the assassination of a presidential candidate like Villavicencio.
“This is one more Ecuadorian victim of organized crime. We join in prayer with his family, friends and colleagues of his. Today is a black day for democracy. A day of mourning for Ecuador,” said Hervás.
Ecuador is in mourning, the country is bleeding to death from so much violence and insecurity,” said independent lawyer Bolívar Armijos.
Ecuador’s president, the conservative Guillermo Lasso, was also shocked by the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio and vowed that the crime would not go unpunished.
“Outraged and shocked by the murder of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio. My solidarity and condolences to his wife and daughters. For his memory and for his fight, I assure you that this crime will not go unpunished, ”Lasso wrote on social networks.
The president also reported that he had called a meeting of the Security Cabinet: “I asked the president of the CNE [Conselho Nacional Eleitoral], Diana Atamaint; the State Attorney General, Diana Salazar; the President of the National Court of Justice, Iván Saquicela; and to the other State authorities who urgently participate in this meeting to face this fact that has dismayed the country,” she added.
“Organized crime has come a long way, but the full weight of the law will fall on it,” declared the head of state, during whose term the biggest insecurity crisis the country has ever experienced broke out, due to the proliferation and violence of actions of groups associated with international drug trafficking mafias, according to authorities.
The candidate for president of Ecuador Fernando Villavicencio was assassinated this Wednesday, shot by unknown persons, when he was leaving a rally, in a campaign event in the capital, Quito.
Interior Minister Juan Zapata said the attack was carried out by hitmen who also injured other people.
Villavicencio, identified as a critic of former President Rafael Correa (2007-2017), was traveling with police protection due to the threats he had received weeks before.
Source: TSF
