In a statement issued to the local press by the campaign team, it was reported that after participating in an event in the capital city Quito, Fernando Villavicencio, a presidential candidate known for his stance against corruption, was shot three times in the head and killed as he was getting into his car.
The Attorney General of Ecuador announced via social media that the suspected assailant behind the attack was shot and fatally wounded during a confrontation with security forces and died due to his injuries.
The attack also left 9 individuals injured, including a congressional candidate and 2 police officers.
President Guillermo Lasso confirmed Villavicencio's assassination, underscoring the involvement of "organized crime" behind the murder merely less than two weeks before the presidential elections.
Lasso stated, "I assure you that this crime will not go unpunished. Organized crime groups have gone too far, but they will feel the full weight of the law."
