Assassinated Ecuadorean Presidential Candidate Fernando Villavicencio Laid to Rest in Private Ceremony
Quito, Ecuador – The body of Fernando Villavicencio, the assassinated Ecuadorean presidential candidate, was buried in a private ceremony in the country’s capital on Friday night. The 59-year-old was laid to rest in the Monteolivo cemetery in northern Quito, according to his campaign team. The burial was carried out with utmost privacy, with his coffin escorted by police and his closest relatives.
Villavicencio, an anti-corruption campaigner and lawmaker known for his outspoken stance against drug trafficking violence in the country, was gunned down at a campaign rally in Quito on Wednesday. The killing of Villavicencio, who belonged to the Movimiento Construye political party, occurred just 10 days before the first round of the presidential election was set to take place.
Authorities announced on Thursday that six suspects, all Colombian nationals and gang members, had been arrested in connection with his assassination. The suspected shooter died earlier while in police custody following an exchange of fire with security personnel, though his nationality is still unclear.
Ecuador, once a relatively peaceful nation, has been plagued by a deteriorating security crisis fueled by drug trafficking and a turf war between rival criminal organizations. The violence has been most prominent on Ecuador’s Pacific coast, where criminal groups battle for control and distribution of narcotics, primarily cocaine.
The assassination of Villavicencio has garnered condemnation from both within Ecuador and worldwide. The UN Human Rights chief, the United States, and the European Union were among those who expressed their outrage. In response to the attack, President Guillermo Lasso requested assistance from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, with a delegation expected to arrive in the country soon.
During the investigation, authorities seized a significant amount of weaponry and equipment believed to be linked to the suspects, including rifles, pistols, grenades, ammunition, motorcycles, and a stolen vehicle.
The assassination of Fernando Villavicencio has sent shockwaves through Ecuador and the international community, highlighting the ongoing security crisis faced by the country.