Assassination of Fernando Villavicencio
Part of the Ecuadorian security crisis
Colegio Anderson in September 2023
🌍
LocationColegio Anderson, Quito, Ecuador
Coordinates0°10′09″S 78°29′02″W / 0.16917°S 78.48389°W / -0.16917; -78.48389[1]
Date9 August 2023
6:20 p.m. ET[2] (UTC−05:00)
TargetFernando Villavicencio
Attack type
Assassination, mass shooting
Weapons9mm pistol, .223 rifle, submachine guns, grenades[3]
Deaths2 (Villavicencio and one suspect)
Injured9
PerpetratorsJohan David Castillo López and six others (suspected)
MotiveContract killing; under investigation
Accused13[4]

On 9 August 2023, eleven days before the 2023 Ecuadorian general election, presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio was assassinated after leaving a campaign rally in Quito, the capital of Ecuador. One assailant was killed during the attack. Several bystanders, including security personnel and a legislative candidate, were injured.[5]

Background

Villavicencio in January 2023

Villavicencio was an Ecuadorian politician and a member of the National Assembly prior to its dissolution following president Guillermo Lasso's invocation of muerte cruzada.[5] That constitutional provision triggered a general election, in which Villavicencio was a leading presidential candidate;[6] at his highest level of support in late July, a La República poll found Villavicencio polling in second place with 13.2%, behind former assemblywoman Luisa González in first place with 26.6%,[7] although polling a month later saw that number slightly reduced, putting him in third or fourth place. A day before his death, he made a report to the Ministry of Justice about an unnamed oil business.[8] In September 2022, Villavicencio said he had been the target of an assassination attempt.[9] Campaign advisor Patricio Zuquilanda also said that Villavicencio had received multiple death threats prior to the shooting, including one from the Sinaloa Cartel, that resulted in one arrest.[10]

The Washington Post noted that his assassination occurred during a time of increasing gang violence in the country.[6] A month prior to his assassination, Agustín Intriago, mayor of Manta, was also assassinated.[11] Several local candidates had also been targeted by violent attacks in the run-up to the 2023 local elections: two of them, Julio César Farachio and Omar Menéndez, were killed between January and February of the same year.[12][13][14]

Assassination

On 9 August 2023, eleven days before the general election,[15] Villavicencio spoke at a Movimiento Construye political rally at the Colegio Anderson in Quito.[2][16] He concluded speaking at approximately 18:20 ET and left. While entering a white truck surrounded by guards,[5] he was shot in the head three times.[17][18] He was rushed to a nearby clinic where he was pronounced dead. Nine people were injured, including legislative candidate Gisella Molina and two police officers.[19] One suspect in the assassination, Johan David Castillo, died from injuries sustained in a shootout.[8] The attackers also threw a grenade towards Villavicencio's followers, but it did not explode.[6] That same day, according to the party, armed men attacked Movimiento Construye's Quito offices.[8]

Videos of the attack began circulating around social media shortly after Villavicencio's death was confirmed.[16] The autopsy report gave his cause of death as cranial trauma, hemorrhaging and cerebral laceration; he also suffered a cranial fracture.[20]

Villavicencio was the first Ecuadorian presidential candidate to be killed while campaigning since Abdón Calderón Muñoz in 1978.[21]

Suspects

In a video released on social media that evening, a criminal group known as Los Lobos allegedly claimed responsibility for the attack, but the authenticity of the video was questioned by NGOs that monitor the Ecuadorian criminal underworld.[17][22] A second video emerged later, in which men purporting to be members of Los Lobos denied any involvement and said they were being framed.[23]

Six arrests were made in the hours following the attack, with a number of firearms and grenades also seized.[19][24][25] Interior Minister Juan Zapata Silva gave the detainees' names at a press conference, and police sources subsequently identified them as Colombian hitmen, including the dead assailant, who was identified as Johan David Castillo López.[26] The six surviving suspects had been arrested on other charges a month earlier but had been released on bail; however, because of their failure to report to the police as required by their bail conditions, warrants for their arrest were issued in the afternoon of 9 August, two hours before the attack on Villavicencio.[27] On 8 September, seven additional suspects were detained in police raids in Quito and Latacunga.[28]

On 6 October, six suspects were killed in the Litoral Penitentiary in Guayaquil,[29] followed by another suspect inside a Quito prison the following day. In response, the Ecuadorean government ordered the transfer of six other suspects to another prison.[30]

Aftermath

The assassination was seen to have caused "chaos" in the country, most of it caused by drug gangs.[31]

On 11 August, a public memorial for Villavicencio was held at a convention center in Quito followed by a private funeral for relatives and associates.[32]

On 21 August, one day after the elections, "Gente Buena", one of the movements that co-sponsored Villavicencio's candidacy, broke ties with Movimiento Construye, citing disagreements about their leadership and assembly conformation.[33] MC-25 announced that one of their first actions in the National Assembly would be the creation of a special commission to investigate Villavicencio's death.[34]

On 27 September, Zurita denounced that an individual was detained by the police, with the intentions of an attack to Villavicencio's widow Verónica Sarauz,[35] according to the police, the suspect was detained for an illegal possession of a firearm, mentioning it was an "isolated procedure".[36]

Government response

President Guillermo Lasso, who first confirmed the assassination, wrote that he was "outraged and shocked" on Twitter.[37] Lasso convened a Security Cabinet meeting at the Palacio de Carondelet that evening,[18] attended by attorney general Diana Salazar Méndez and the presidents of the National Electoral Council and National Court of Justice.[38] In a televised address to the nation shortly after midnight, Lasso announced three days of national mourning and the imposition of a state of emergency across the country for the following 60 days, entailing the deployment of the military to support the work of the police and the suspension of a number of civil liberties, such as freedom of assembly and the inviolability of the home. He also confirmed that the election would take place as scheduled on 20 August.[24][39]

Impact on the election

Diana Atamaint, the president of the National Electoral Council (CNE), said that since the ballot papers had already been printed, Villavicencio's name and photograph would still appear on them on election day and votes cast for him would be counted towards any substitute candidate nominated by Movimiento Construye (MC-25). On 11 August, MC-25 sent the CNE a series of questions to clarify the legal situation regarding his replacement.[40] Some constitutional experts said that Andrea González, Villavicencio's running mate and the party's preferred choice,[40] would be ineligible because she was already registered as a vice-presidential candidate and, once registered, "candidacies were non-renounceable".[41]

On 12 August, MC-25 announced González as its replacement presidential candidate, with her running mate to be announced "in the coming hours";[42][43][44] however, because of the legal uncertainties regarding her eligibility and the absence of a response from the CNE to their queries, on 13 August they backtracked on that decision and nominated the journalist Christian Zurita instead, with González as his running mate.[45][46]

Movimiento Construye also requested the postponing of the 13 August televised debate, which all the presidential hopefuls were required to attend. Rival candidate Otto Sonnenholzner joined the call for its postponement, but the CNE insisted it go ahead as planned.[47][48] MC-25 was ineligible to participate, because the CNE had not yet ratified their replacement candidate.[49][45]

On 20 August, election day, Zurita, González and Villavicencio's family voted under heavy security measures.[50] All the other presidential candidates also had their security increased during the voting.[51] With over 16% of the vote, MC-25 obtained third place in the presidential race,[52] which some media outlets described as a "condolence vote".[53] Molina, who suffered a minor eye injury in the shootout, was also reelected in the National Assembly.[54]

Other reactions

Other candidates called for a tougher stance on crime, including Yaku Pérez Guartambel, Xavier Hervas, Jan Topić, Otto Sonnenholzner, and Luisa González.[18][55] Pérez, González, Topić, and Bolívar Armijos announced the suspension of their respective electoral campaigns out of respect.[56] Former president Rafael Correa remarked on his killing that Ecuador had become a "failed state" and warned that "those who try to sow more hate" with his death "will only continue to destroy us.”[57]

The electoral observation mission of the Organization of American States (OAS), due to start arriving in the country the day after the assassination, shared the grief and consternation of the Ecuadorian people and called on the authorities to conduct a thorough and comprehensive investigation.[58][59] U.S. ambassador to Ecuador Michael J. Fitzpatrick said his country condemned the attack. The governments of Argentina,[60] Brazil,[61] Chile, Peru, Spain, and the United Kingdom expressed their condolences.[62][63]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "¿Cómo es el sitio en donde asesinaron al candidato Fernando Villavicencio?". El Universo. 9 August 2023. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  2. 1 2 Mella, Carolina (9 August 2023). "Asesinado a tiros el candidato presidencial Fernando Villavicencio en Ecuador". El País. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  3. ↑ https://noticias.caracoltv.com/mundo/este-es-el-arsenal-hallado-tras-asesinato-de-fernando-villavicencio-incluye-arma-usada-en-el-crimen-rg10
  4. ↑ "Caso Villavicencio: Testigo anticipado no estaba preso ni es parte del caso". Primicias (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 Solano, Gonzalo; Garcia Cano, Regina (9 August 2023). "A presidential candidate in Ecuador has been shot and killed at campaign event". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 Torres, Arturo; Schmidt, Samantha; Durán, Diana (9 August 2023). "Ecuadoran presidential candidate killed in attack at campaign rally". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  7. ↑ "Villavicencio iría a segunda vuelta con Luisa, si las elecciones fueran hoy, según Cedatos" (in Spanish). La Republica. 21 July 2023. Archived from the original on 25 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 Valencia, Alexandra (9 August 2023). "Suspect in killing of Ecuador candidate Villavicencio dead, prosecutor's office says". Reuters. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  9. ↑ "'No me van a quebrar', dice asambleísta Fernando Villavicencio tras denunciar atentado en exteriores de su domicilio". El Universo. 3 September 2022. Archived from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  10. ↑ Solano, Gonzalo (9 August 2023). "Ecuadorian Presidential Candidate Assassinated at Political Rally". Time. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  11. ↑ Buschschlüter, Vanessa (24 July 2023). "Agustín Intriago: Ecuadorean mayor shot dead in port city". BBC News. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  12. ↑ "Asesinan a Omar Menéndez, candidato a la alcaldía de Puerto López". El Universo (in Spanish). 4 February 2023. Archived from the original on 9 February 2023. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  13. ↑ "Asesinan al candidato a la alcaldía de Puerto López, Ecuador, a pocas horas de las elecciones". CNN en Español (in Spanish). 5 February 2023. Archived from the original on 9 February 2023. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  14. ↑ "In Ecuador ha vinto le elezioni un candidato sindaco ucciso il giorno prima del voto". Il Post (in Italian). 8 February 2023. Archived from the original on 9 February 2023. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  15. ↑ "Asesina al candidato a la presidencia de Ecuador Fernando Villavicencio" (in Spanish). El Tiempo. 9 August 2023. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  16. 1 2 Hallam, Jonny; Maria Cañizares, Ana; Suarez, Karol; Regan, Helen; Kottasová, Ivana; Shortell, David (9 August 2023). "Ecuador presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio assassinated at campaign event". CNN. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  17. 1 2 Cooney, Christy; Buschschlüter, Vanessa (9 August 2023). "Candidate in Ecuador's presidential election shot dead". BBC. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  18. 1 2 3 Hamblin, Andrea (9 August 2023). "Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio shot dead at campaign event". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  19. 1 2 "Tras asesinato del candidato Villavicencio en Ecuador, ¿qué se sabe de los detenidos?". El Universal. 10 August 2023. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  20. ↑ "Un juez imputa cargos a los sospechosos del asesinato de Fernando Villavicencio". Expansión. Reuters. 11 August 2023. Archived from the original on 12 August 2023. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  21. ↑ "Fernando Villavicencio fue asesinado en un ataque armado, según Ministro del Interior" (in Spanish). El Telégrafo. 9 August 2023. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  22. ↑ "Dudas sobre la veracidad de un video en que la banda criminal Los Lobos se responsabiliza del asesinato de Fernando Villavicencio". Infobae. 10 August 2023. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  23. ↑ "Ecuador politician murder: Prison gangs in terror reign". BBC News. 10 August 2023. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  24. 1 2 Collyns, Dan; Valdiviezo, Carla (10 August 2023). "Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio assassinated". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  25. ↑ Valencia, Alexandra (11 August 2023). "Fernando Villavicencio assassination: suspects are Colombian, police say". Reuters. Archived from the original on 11 August 2023. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  26. ↑ https://www.elpais.com.co/mundo/revelan-identidad-del-sicario-colombiano-que-mato-al-candidato-a-la-presidencia-de-ecuador-fernando-villavicencio-se-conocen-mas-detalles-del-crimen-1548.html
  27. ↑ Lewin, Juan Esteban (10 August 2023). "Seis colombianos capturados por el asesinato de Fernando Villavicencio". El País. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  28. ↑ Benavides, Sofía (8 September 2023). "Nuevas detenciones y allanamientos en Ecuador por el asesinato de Fernando Villavicencio". CNN (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  29. ↑ "Colombians held over Ecuador presidential candidate's murder slain in jail". Aljazeera. 7 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  30. ↑ "A seventh man accused in killing of an Ecuador presidential candidate is slain inside prison". Associated Press. 8 October 2023. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  31. ↑ "'Chaos' in Ecuador na moord op politicus, drugsbende eist aanslag op". NOS (in Dutch). 10 August 2023. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  32. ↑ "Ecuador detains 6 Colombians in assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio". PBS. 11 August 2023. Archived from the original on 12 August 2023. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  33. ↑ "Disputas internas en Gente Buena sobre acuerdo político con movimiento Construye". Primicias (in Mexican Spanish). Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  34. ↑ "Construye promoverá en la Asamblea la creación de una comisión para investigar el crimen de Fernando Villavicencio". El Universo (in Spanish). 22 August 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  35. ↑ "Zurita denuncia presunto atentado contra esposa de Fernando Villavicencio". Primicias (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  36. ↑ "Policia Ecuador". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  37. ↑ María León Cabrera, José; Turkewitz, Julie (9 August 2023). "Presidential Candidate in Ecuador Is Assassinated During Rally". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  38. ↑ Nazzaro, Miranda (9 August 2023). "Ecuadorian presidential candidate assassinated". The Hill. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  39. ↑ "Ecuador declara el estado de excepción tras el asesinato del candidato Villavicencio". El Mundo. 10 August 2023. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  40. 1 2 "Construye quiere que Andrea González reemplace a Villavicencio en la elección" [Construye wants Andrea González to replace Villavicencio in the election]. Primicias. 11 August 2023. Archived from the original on 12 August 2023. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  41. ↑ "Las opciones del partido de Fernando Villavicencio para participar en las elecciones en Ecuador" [Fernando Villavicencio's party's options for participating in the elections in Ecuador]. Redmás. 10 August 2023. Archived from the original on 13 August 2023. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  42. ↑ Baker, Graeme (12 August 2023). "Ecuador murder: Fernando Villavicencio's running-mate steps in to contest election". BBC News. Archived from the original on 13 August 2023. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  43. ↑ "Movimiento Construye define su candidatura presidencial" [Movimiento Construye selects its presidential candidate]. Movimiento Construye. 12 August 2023. Archived from the original on 13 August 2023. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  44. ↑ "El partido de Villavicencio nombra a Andrea González Náder como nueva candidata presidencial" [Villavicencio's party names Andrea González Náder their new presidential candidate]. El País. 12 August 2023. Archived from the original on 12 August 2023. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  45. 1 2 "Construye elige al periodista Christian Zurita como candidato presidencial" [Construye elects journalist Christian Zurita as its presidential candidate]. Primicias. 13 August 2023. Archived from the original on 13 August 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  46. ↑ "Party of assassinated candidate in Ecuador taps a new replacement". Reuters. 13 August 2023. Archived from the original on 13 August 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  47. ↑ "Discordia entre los candidatos a la Presidencia de Ecuador tras el asesinato de Fernando Villavicencio" [Disagreements among presidential candidates following Fernando Villavicencio's assassination]. Infobae. 11 August 2023. Archived from the original on 12 August 2023. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  48. ↑ "Lo que debe saber sobre el debate presidencial de este domingo" [What you need to know about this Sunday's presidential debate]. Dialoguemos. 11 August 2023. Archived from the original on 12 August 2023. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  49. ↑ Valencia, Alexandra (13 August 2023). "Ecuador candidates talk tough on crime after assassination". Reuters. Archived from the original on 13 August 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  50. ↑ "Lo que se sabe sobre la seguridad de Christian Zurita, tras amenazas; padres de Fernando Villavicencio son resguardados". www.vistazo.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  51. ↑ "Todos los candidatos a la Presidencia ya votaron, en medio de fuerte seguridad". Primicias (in Mexican Spanish). Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  52. ↑ "CONSEJO NACIONAL ELECTORAL". elecciones2023.cne.gob.ec. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  53. ↑ "El voto pésame ubicó a Christian Zurita en el tercer lugar en las elecciones presidenciales extraordinarias". El Universo (in Spanish). 21 August 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  54. ↑ "Gissella Molina, que fue cesada con la muerte cruzada y resultó herida durante el asesinato de Fernando Villavicencio, volverá a la Asamblea con el Movimiento Construye". El Universo (in Spanish). 22 August 2023. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  55. ↑ "Candidate in Ecuador's presidential election Fernando Villavicencio shot dead". Yahoo. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  56. ↑ "Varios candidatos a la Presidencia de Ecuador suspenden sus campañas tras el asesinato de Villavicencio". Europa Press. 10 August 2023. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  57. ↑ "Who was Fernando Villavicencio, presidential hopeful shot dead in Ecuador?". Al Jazeera. 10 August 2023. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  58. ↑ "La OEA condenó el asesinato del candidato presidencial de Ecuador, Fernando Villavicencio, y exigió respeto a la democracia". Infobae. 9 August 2023. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  59. ↑ "Statement of the OAS Electoral Observation Mission on the Assassination of Ecuadorian Presidential Candidate Fernando Villavicencio". Organization of American States. 9 August 2023. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  60. ↑ "Asesinato de candidato presidencial en Ecuador" [Assassination of presidential candidate in Ecuador]. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship (in Spanish). 10 August 2023. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  61. ↑ "Assassinato de candidato presidencial no Equador". Governo brasileiro [Ministério das Relações Exteriores] (in Brazilian Portuguese). 9 August 2023. Archived from the original on 13 August 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  62. ↑ "Reaction to killing of Ecuador presidential candidate Villavicencio". Reuters. 9 August 2023. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  63. ↑ Loaiza, Yalilé (10 August 2023). "Estados Unidos condenó el asesinato de Fernando Villavicencio en Ecuador y ofreció "asistencia investigativa urgente"" [The US condemned the assassination of Fernando Villavicencio and offered "urgent investigative assistance"]. Infobae (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
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