Assassination attempt on top politicians
Suspects in custody after assassination attempt in Ecuador
08/11/2023, 7:17 p.m
The assassination attempt on the Ecuadorian presidential candidate Villavicencio even concerns the FBI. There should be enough evidence. The suspects are currently in custody.
After the assassination attempt on Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio, the suspects are being held in custody for an initial 30 days. The investigators presented a total of 22 pieces of evidence against the six men from neighboring Colombia, the prosecutor said. These included witness statements, autopsy reports, ballistics analysis and video recordings.
The perpetrators shot opposition candidate Villavicencio on Wednesday after an election campaign event in the capital Quito. At least nine people were injured, including three bodyguards and a candidate for the National Assembly. A suspect died after an exchange of gunfire with security forces. President Guillermo Lasso declared a state of emergency for 60 days and mobilized the armed forces.
Lasso ordered three days of national mourning after the assassination. In the online service X, which was formerly called Twitter, he announced that he had asked the US Federal Police FBI for help with the investigation. They “accepted our request and a delegation will arrive in the country in the next few hours,” he added.
Early presidential and parliamentary elections will be held in Ecuador on August 20th. These became necessary because Lasso had dissolved the National Assembly in the middle of impeachment proceedings for alleged embezzlement. The once peaceful country is currently suffering from a wave of violence. The homicide rate of 25 homicides per 100,000 people last year was the highest in the country’s history. The government blames drug dealers in particular.