In Ecuador, a presidential candidate was shot after a campaign rally

Ecuador's presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio was shot dead after a rally in the capital Quito, writes El Universo.

On the evening of August 9, a group of unknown persons shot the politician three times in the head at the Coliseo T.V. Anderson school, where the election rally was held. Villavicencio was taken to a clinic without signs of life, and later pronounced dead.

According to witnesses, many gunshots were heard at the scene, after which Villavicencio, who was seriously injured, collapsed. According to sources, a total of eight people were injured in the shooting.

According to Expreso, Villavicencio was shot dead while sitting in a police car. He was one of the candidates taken under police protection. A week ago, the politician reported that there were various threats against him.

The President of Ecuador, Guillermo Lasso, expressed his condolences to the family of Villavicencio.

"I am outraged and shocked by the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio. My condolences to his wife and daughters," he wrote on Twitter. The head of state promised not to let this crime go unpunished.

Lasso held an emergency meeting with the head of the National Electoral Council, the attorney general, the head of the National Court and other government officials.

The suspect of the murder was arrested

Later, the country's Prosecutor General's Office reported that security forces had arrested a suspect in Villavicencio's murder.

The suspect was injured by security personnel. The man was arrested and taken to the Serious Crimes Department of the Prosecutor's Office. He later died of his injuries.

For reference, Villavicencio was 59 years old when he was a presidential candidate of the Construye movement. The politician fought against corruption. He was born in the canton of Alausi in Chimborazo province, then his family moved to Quito. In 2021-2023, Villavicencio chaired the parliamentary control committee.

In May, Lasso dissolved Ecuador's National Assembly and announced early elections. On August 20, the president, vice president and parliament will be elected in Ecuador.

source: daryo.uz