Ecuador's Descent into Violence Reaches New Low with Presidential Candidate's Assassination

Shock and Horror as Fernando Villavicencio, Advocate of Tough-on-Crime Policies, Fatally Shot in Quito

In a shocking turn of events, Ecuador's distressing spiral into violence and criminality has plummeted to a new nadir with the broad daylight assassination of a presidential candidate who had campaigned on a tough-on-crime and anti-corruption platform.

Fernando Villavicencio, a former journalist known for his collaboration with the Guardian, met a tragic end as he was shot and killed amidst a hail of gunfire on a Quito street. The incident unfolded just as he was leaving a campaign rally on Wednesday evening. Panic ensued among supporters as the candidate was approaching his vehicle, causing them to scatter and seek cover. Following the murder, one suspect engaged in a shootout with law enforcement and subsequently died, while six others, believed to be Colombian nationals, were apprehended.

The Ecuadorian government swiftly identified the suspects as foreign members of organized crime factions. It has vowed to pursue the masterminds behind this audacious plot.

This assassination has sent shockwaves across the Andean nation, which is grappling with a surge in violent crime. Drug-trafficking gangs are responsible for prison massacres and audacious public attacks, contributing to a fivefold increase in murder rates over the past five years.

In a matter of years, Ecuador's reputation as one of the safer countries in Latin America has deteriorated, leaving it with one of the highest homicide rates in the region.

Otto Sonnenholzner, a former vice-president and another presidential candidate, expressed the somber sentiment echoing through the country: "We are dying, drowning in a sea of tears, and we do not deserve to live like this."

Reports indicate that the United States government will assist Ecuadorian authorities in the investigation, deploying FBI agents to aid in the process. The US State Department condemned the act as a brazen attack on democracy and the rule of law.

President Guillermo Lasso labeled the assassination an attempt to undermine the upcoming August 20th election. However, he asserted that the election would proceed as scheduled, albeit amidst a state of emergency. Lasso's resolve remains firm, stating, "We agree in the face of the loss of a democrat and a fighter, elections should not be suspended; on the contrary, they should be held and democracy should be strengthened."

In response to this tragedy, Lasso declared three days of national mourning and implemented a state of emergency. The country's military presence has been bolstered to safeguard polling stations.

Lasso emphasized, "We will not hand over the power and the democratic institutions to organized crime even though it is disguised as political organizations."

This brazen assassination serves as the latest chapter in Ecuador's downward spiral. The country's organized crime syndicates, including Mexican cartels and Balkan mafia groups, are vying for control over lucrative cocaine smuggling routes.

Moreover, this incident underscores the concerning intersection of crime and politics in Ecuador, situated between the world's two largest cocaine exporters. Villavicencio, with his pledge to combat corruption and expose political ties to organized crime, became a symbol of this struggle.

Verónica Sarauz, Villavicencio's widow, took to Twitter to assert, "My husband was murdered because he was the only one who stood up to the political mafias and drug traffickers in this country." Villavicencio leaves behind five children.

The escalating crisis prompted two conflicting videos to surface on social media, each claiming responsibility for the assassination on behalf of rival factions. The uncertainty surrounding these claims highlights the complex web of violence plaguing the nation.

Carlos Larrea, a professor at Quito’s Simón Bolívar Andean University, remarked that Villavicencio's murder represents a significant escalation in Ecuador's crisis. Armed groups have sowed terror by infiltrating political parties and local governments, mirroring historical precedents in Colombia and Mexico.

Amid this surge in violence, Ecuador's political system remains embroiled in internal conflicts. President Lasso called for the current elections to preempt a potential impeachment effort by a contentious congress.

The tragic end of Fernando Villavicencio sheds light on the vulnerabilities of those who challenge Ecuador's deeply entrenched violence. Despite employing multiple layers of security, the candidate remained at risk due to the unpreparedness of security forces to counter the scale of the ongoing violence.

This heart-wrenching incident serves as a stark reminder of the pressing need for Ecuador to address its escalating crisis and restore safety and stability to its citizens.