A team from the U.S. FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) is set to arrive in Ecuador to assist in the inquiry into the murder of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio.
Following an electoral event in Quito, he was tragically killed in a suspected assassination plot.
Ecuador’s President, Guillermo Lasso, confirmed the FBI’s impending arrival, highlighting that he had requested U.S. assistance in shedding light on this grave incident.
This move follows the U.S. government’s prior offer of urgent investigative aid via its ambassador in Quito, Michael J. Fitzpatrick.
The collaboration signifies the strengthening ties between the U.S. and Ecuador, particularly since Lasso’s ascendancy, spanning multiple domains, including security.
Initial reports suggest multiple individuals, thought to be hired assassins, were involved in Villavicencio’s killing.
Six foreign nationals are currently in custody in connection with the crime.
Additionally, one alleged perpetrator died from injuries sustained during a gunfire exchange with Villavicencio’s security personnel.
Authorities are still investigating potential links between this tragic attack, which resulted in several casualties, including three policemen, and organized crime groups active in Ecuador.
Villavicencio had been vocal about confronting these criminal factions and had previously reported death threats.
His assassination has shaken the nation, amidst an electoral campaign dominated by discussions on Ecuador’s intensifying security crisis.
Recent years have seen a surge in violence attributed to organized crime, particularly along the coast.
This has implications for the cocaine trade targeting Europe and North America.
Villavicencio was among eight presidential contenders for the upcoming special elections scheduled for August 20.
This election follows President Lasso’s controversial constitutional decision to dissolve the National Assembly, largely opposition-led, on the brink of voting on his potential removal.