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People instrumentality screen aft shots were fired astatine the extremity of a rally of Ecuadorian statesmanlike cadidate Fernando Villavicencio successful Quito, connected August 9, 2023. Ecuadorian statesmanlike campaigner Fernando Villavicencio was changeable dormant aft holding a rally successful Quito connected Wednesday evening, section media reported, citing Interior Minister Juan Zapata. Mr. Villavicencio, a 59-year-old journalist, was 1 of 8 candidates successful the August 20 statesmanlike election. (Photo by AFP) (Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images)
Str | Afp | Getty Images
Ecuadorean statesmanlike campaigner and erstwhile lawmaker Fernando Villavicencio was killed connected Wednesday, President Guillermo Lasso said, vowing the execution volition not spell unpunished.
Local media had earlier reported Villavicencio, a erstwhile lawmaker had been changeable astatine a run lawsuit successful Quito.
"For his representation and his fight, I guarantee you that this transgression volition not stay unpunished," Lasso said connected X, the societal media level formerly known arsenic Twitter. "Organized transgression person gone precise far, but each the value of the instrumentality volition autumn connected them."
Lasso said helium would big apical information officials astatine an urgent meeting.
Videos connected societal media purportedly from the run lawsuit showed radical taking screen and screaming arsenic gunfire sounded.
According to sentiment polls, Villavicencio's enactment was astatine 7.5%, ranking him 5th retired of 8 statesmanlike candidates for the August 20 vote.
Villavicencio, from the Andean state of Chimborazo, was a erstwhile national subordinate astatine authorities lipid institution Petroecuador and aboriginal a writer who denounced alleged millions successful lipid declaration losses.
He had connected Tuesday made a study to the lawyer general's bureau astir an lipid business, but nary further details of his study were made public.
Villavicencio was an outspoken professional of erstwhile President Rafael Correa and was sentenced to 18 months successful situation for defamation implicit statements made against the erstwhile president.
He fled to Indigenous territory wrong Ecuador and aboriginal was fixed asylum successful Peru.
As a legislator, Villavicencio was criticized by absorption politicians for obstructing an impeachment process this twelvemonth against Lasso, which pb the second to telephone the aboriginal elections.
"Today much than ever, the request to enactment with a beardown manus against transgression is reiterated. May God person him successful his glory," chap statesmanlike hopeful Jan Topic said successful a station connected X.
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