Hundreds of people said goodbye to Villavicencio at a funeral service in Ecuador. The presidential candidate was shot dead three days ago. The violence apparently continues: a politician was shot in Los Rios.
Hundreds of people attended a funeral service in Ecuador to say goodbye to the murdered presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio. “The day before yesterday they riddled democracy with bullets, the day before yesterday they mutilated part of the fight against corruption,” said Villavicencio’s campaign manager Antonio López at the ceremony in a convention center north of the capital Quito.
On the walls were large-format pictures of the former journalist who was allegedly shot dead by members of an organized criminal gang. “My power lies in the Constitution” read a symbolic presidential sash draped over the coffin, covered with the Ecuadorian flag.
Videos of the slain candidate’s campaign, who was polled second in the presidential election scheduled for August 20, were shown on a giant screen.
Many of the relatives and supporters were combative at the funeral service.
Arrest of six Colombians
Former MP Villavicencio, who dedicated himself to fighting corruption, ran for the presidency for the first time. He was shot dead on the way to his car after a campaign rally on Wednesday night. Six Colombians were arrested after the attack. A seventh attacker was shot dead by security forces.
In the week before his death, Villavicencio had repeatedly complained about serious threats against him and his campaign team – and was therefore under police protection. Villavicencio said he received a threat from the leader of the criminal gang Los Choneros, who is currently in prison. The group is linked to organized drug trafficking.
Another politician shot
Just one day after the deadly shots at Villavicencio, a parliamentary candidate was apparently shot at. Estefany Puente said she was slightly injured in an exchange of gunfire. She was attacked while driving in the city of Quevedo. The politician, who is running for a seat in Los Rios province, also said on Friday that she had not received any threats before.
In April, Ecuador’s President Guillermo Lasso relaxed gun laws and allowed citizens to carry guns. The country struggles with crime and everyday violence. Hundreds of inmates were killed in clashes in prisons alone. The government holds the drug cartels responsible for this.