- Colombians Detained in Connection with Assassination of Ecuadorian Candidate
- Police Raid Uncovers Weapons and Detainees Linked to Murder
- President Lasso Calls for US FBI Assistance in Investigation
The six individuals detained in connection with the assassination of Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio are Colombians, according to the police.
Thursday’s gunfight between police and a seventh suspect resulted in the death of a Colombian suspect.
Mr. Villavicencio was killed in the capital city of Quito as he left a campaign engagement.
The minister of the interior stated that a police investigation into the “heinous act” was underway.
Interior Minister Juan Zapata stated that officers would endeavor to “discover the motive and intellectual authors of this crime.”
Mr. Zapata identified the six detainees as Andres M, Jose N, Eddy G, Camilo R, Jules C, and Jhon Rodriguez at a Thursday press conference.
During the police raid that led to their detention, officers discovered a rifle, a submachine gun, four pistols, three grenades, four boxes of ammunition, two motorcycles, and a reported stolen vehicle in the group’s possession, according to the source.
Villavicencio, a staunch opponent of organised crime, was one of the few presidential contenders to accuse government corruption.
The assassination, according to President Guillermo Lasso, was an attempt to sabotage the election.
The 20th of August elections will proceed as scheduled, despite the national state of emergency, he added.
He said organised crime committed the murder and requested FBI assistance, which will arrive shortly.
After receiving threats from Los Choneros last month, national assembly member Mr. Villavicencio was granted a security detail.
In a video posted to social media after his murder, heavily armed men donning balaclavas claimed responsibility for the crime. The males claimed to be members of Los Lobos (The Wolves), who are Los Choneros’ rivals.
However, just hours later, another video emerged online in which a different group of men – this time without masks – claimed to be Los Lobos members and denied any involvement in the murder, claiming that the first video was an attempt by their rivals to frame them for the crime.
