During a campaign rally in the nation’s capital, Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio was shot and killed by an assailant.
On Wednesday, the President Guillermo Lasso said that a meeting of the country’s security cabinet will take place within the next few minutes. He also verified the death that took place the previous day.
“The assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio has left me in a state of utter disgust and disbelief. According to Mr. Lasso’s statement, “in his memory and in the name of his battle, I tell you that this crime will not go unpunished.”
He continued by saying, “The meeting of the Security Cabinet will take place in a few minutes in the presidential palace.”
Earlier on Wednesday, the newspaper El Universo stated that Villavicencio had been slain during a rally in Quito, the nation’s capital city, after receiving three gunshot wounds to the head.
According to the report, eight additional persons were hurt while participating in the rally, and seven of those people were sent to a hospital.
The most recent polls indicate that Mr. Villavicencio did not receive a sufficient number of electoral votes to win the presidential election in Ecuador slated to take place on August 20.
A parliamentary candidate in Ecuador was murdered a few weeks ago, just days before general elections are scheduled to take place on August 20.
In the northern coastal province of Esmeraldas, the town of Quininde was the location of Rider Sanchez’s murder. Sanchez was a candidate for a seat in the national legislature.
According to reports from the local media, he sustained multiple gunshot wounds and passed away shortly after arriving at the hospital.
Mr. Sanchez was a candidate for the Actuemos alliance, which includes the Avanza and SUMA parties and is supporting Otto Sonnenholzner for the presidency.
Following President Guillermo Lasso’s decision in May to dissolve the national legislature in the midst of legislative efforts to impeach him, Ecuador will move forward with plans to call early elections.
There are around 13.4 million eligible voters in Ecuador, who will choose a new president and 137 members of the national parliament.
