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Assassination of Fernando Villavicencio

Coordinates: 0°10′09″S 78°29′02″W / 0.16917°S 78.48389°W / -0.16917; -78.48389
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Assassination of Fernando Villavicencio
Part of the Ecuadorian security crisis
Map
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2km
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1
LocationColegio Anderson, Quito, Ecuador
Coordinates0°10′09″S 78°29′02″W / 0.16917°S 78.48389°W / -0.16917; -78.48389[1]
Date9 August 2023; 16 months ago (2023-08-09)
6:20 p.m. ET[2] (UTC−05:00)
TargetFernando Villavicencio
Attack type
Assassination
Deaths2 (including Villavicencio and a suspect)
Injured9

On 9 August 2023, Ecuadorian politician and presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio was assassinated after leaving a campaign rally in Quito. Several others were injured in the attack.[3] The attack occurred eleven days before the 2023 Ecuadorian general election.

Background

Further information: Ecuadorian security crisis
Fernando Villavicencio in April 2022

Villavicencio was an Ecuadorian politician and a member of the National Assembly prior to its dissolution following president Guillermo Lasso's invocation of muerte cruzada.[4] That constitutional provision triggered a general election, in which Villavicencio was a leading presidential candidate;[5] in late July, a La República poll found Villavicencio polling in second place with 13.2%, behind former Assemblywoman Luisa González in first place with 26.6%.[6] A day before his death, he made a report to the Ministry of Justice about an unnamed oil business.[7] In September 2022, Villavicencio claimed to have been the target of an assassination attempt.[8] Campaign advisor Patricio Zuquilanda said that Villavicencio had received multiple death threats prior to the shooting, including one from the Sinaloa Cartel, that resulted in one arrest.[9]

The Washington Post noted that his assassination occurred during a time of increasing gang violence in the country.[5] A month prior to his assassination, Agustín Intriago, mayor of Manta, was also assassinated.[10]

Assassination

On 9 August 2023, two weeks before the general election,[11] Villavicencio spoke at a Movimiento Construye political rally at Colegio Anderson in Quito.[2][12] He concluded speaking at approximately 18:20 ET and left. While entering a white truck surrounded by guards,[3] he was shot in the head three times.[13][14] He was rushed to a nearby clinic where he was pronounced dead. Nine people were injured, including a legislative candidate and two police officers.[15] The attacker also threw a grenade towards Villavicencio's followers, but it did not explode.[5] Armed men attacked Movimiento Construye's Quito offices, according to the party.[7]

Videos of the attack began circulating around social media shortly after his death was confirmed.[12]

Suspects

A suspect in the assassination died from injuries sustained in a shootout.[7] Six arrests were made in the hours following the attack, with a number of firearms and grenades also seized.[16][15]

In a video released on social media that evening, a criminal group known as Los Lobos claimed responsibility for the attack, but the authenticity of the video was questioned by NGOs that monitor the Ecuadorian criminal underworld.[17][18]

Government response

President Lasso, who first confirmed the assassination, wrote that he was "outraged and shocked" on Twitter.[19] Lasso convened a Security Cabinet meeting at the Palacio de Carondelet that evening,[14] attended by attorney general Diana Salazar Méndez and the presidents of the National Electoral Council and National Court of Justice.[20] In a televised address to the nation shortly after midnight, Lasso announced three days of national mourning and the imposition of a state of emergency across the country for the following 60 days, entailing the deployment of the military to support the work of the police and the suspension of a number of civil liberties, such as freedom of assembly and the inviolability of the home. He also confirmed that the election would take place as scheduled on 20 August.[16][21]

Other reactions

Other candidates called for a tougher stance on crime, including Yaku Pérez Guartambel, Xavier Hervas, Jan Topić, Otto Sonnenholzner and Luisa González.[14][22] Pérez, González, Topić and Bolívar Armijos announced the suspension of their respective electoral campaigns out of respect.[23]

The electoral observation mission of the Organization of American States (OAS) shared the grief and consternation of the Ecuadorian people and called on the authorities to conduct a thorough and comprehensive investigation.[24] U.S. ambassador to Ecuador Michael J. Fitzpatrick stated that the United States condemns the attack. The governments of Argentina,[25] Chile, Peru, Spain and the United Kingdom expressed their condolences.[26][27]

References

  1. ^ "¿Cómo es el sitio en donde asesinaron al candidato Fernando Villavicencio?". El Universo. 9 August 2023. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  2. ^ a b Mella, Carolina (9 August 2023). "Asesinado a tiros el candidato presidencial Fernando Villavicencio en Ecuador". El País. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  3. ^ a b "A presidential candidate in Ecuador has been shot and killed at campaign event". Associated Press. 9 August 2023. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  4. ^ "A presidential candidate in Ecuador has been shot and killed at campaign event". AP. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  5. ^ a b c Torres, Arturo; Schmidt, Samantha (9 August 2023). "Ecuadoran presidential candidate killed in attack at campaign rally". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  6. ^ "Villavicencio iría a segunda vuelta con Luisa, si las elecciones fueran hoy, según Cedatos" (in Spanish). La Republica. 21 July 2023. Archived from the original on 25 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  7. ^ a b c Valencia, Alexandra (9 August 2023). "Suspect in killing of Ecuador candidate Villavicencio dead, prosecutor's office says". Reuters. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  8. ^ "'No me van a quebrar', dice asambleísta Fernando Villavicencio tras denunciar atentado en exteriores de su domicilio". El Universo. 3 September 2022. Archived from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  9. ^ Solano, Gonzalo (9 August 2023). "Ecuadorian Presidential Candidate Assassinated at Political Rally". Time. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  10. ^ "Agustín Intriago: Ecuadorean mayor shot dead in port city". BBC News. 24 July 2023. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  11. ^ "Asesina al candidato a la presidencia de Ecuador Fernando Villavicencio" (in Spanish). El Tiempo. 9 August 2023. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  12. ^ a b Hallam, Jonny; Maria Cañizares, Ana (9 August 2023). "Ecuador presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio assassinated at campaign event". CNN. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  13. ^ "Candidate in Ecuador's presidential election shot dead". BBC. 9 August 2023. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  14. ^ a b c Hamblin, Andrea (9 August 2023). "Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio shot dead at campaign event". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  15. ^ a b "Tras asesinato del candidato Villavicencio en Ecuador, ¿qué se sabe de los detenidos?". El Universal. 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  16. ^ a b Collyns, Dan; Valdiviezo, Carla (10 August 2023). "Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio assassinated". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  17. ^ "Candidate in Ecuador's presidential election Fernando Villavicencio shot dead". BBC News. 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  18. ^ "Dudas sobre la veracidad de un video en que la banda criminal Los Lobos se responsabiliza del asesinato de Fernando Villavicencio". Infobae. 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  19. ^ María León Cabrera, José; Turkewitz, Julie (9 August 2023). "Presidential Candidate in Ecuador Is Assassinated During Rally". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  20. ^ Nazzaro, Miranda (9 August 2023). "Ecuadorian presidential candidate assassinated". The Hill. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  21. ^ "Ecuador declara el estado de excepción tras el asesinato del candidato Villavicencio". El Mundo. 10 August 2023. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  22. ^ "Candidate in Ecuador's presidential election Fernando Villavicencio shot dead". Yahoo. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  23. ^ "Varios candidatos a la Presidencia de Ecuador suspenden sus campañas tras el asesinato de Villavicencio". Europa Press. 10 August 2023. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  24. ^ "La OEA condenó el asesinato del candidato presidencial de Ecuador, Fernando Villavicencio, y exigió respeto a la democracia". Infobae. 9 August 2023. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  25. ^ "Asesinato de candidato presidencial en Ecuador" [Assassination of presidential candidate in Ecuador]. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship (in Spanish). 10 August 2023. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  26. ^ "Reaction to killing of Ecuador presidential candidate Villavicencio". Reuters. 9 August 2023. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  27. ^ Loaiza, Yalilé (10 August 2023). "Estados Unidos condenó el asesinato de Fernando Villavicencio en Ecuador y ofreció "asistencia investigativa urgente"" [The US condemned the assassination of Fernando Villavicencio and offered "urgent investigative assistance"]. Infobae (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
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