Key Takeaways
- The presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio was assassinated during a rally in Quito.
- President Guillermo Lasso declared three days of national mourning and a 60‑day state of emergency.
- Authorities linked the killing to organized crime and have arrested six suspects so far.
Quito: Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso Thursday decreed three days of national mourning for the presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio.
He was assassinated Wednesday at a political rally in the capital Quito.
Lasso also decreed a 60-day state of emergency throughout the country “due to serious internal upheaval,” which included the mobilisation of the armed forces and the police to maintain order and public safety.
The assassination, which the government attributed to organized crime, occurred amid the electoral campaign for elections, which will go ahead as planned on Aug 20, Lasso said.
So far, six people have been arrested in the case, while one suspect died after being wounded during a gun battle with the police.
The 59-year-old presidential candidate was a journalist and former National Assembly member, who forged his political career with a series of denunciations of corruption.
He was, according to polls, in fourth place for early general elections.
