Ecuadorian police have confirmed that the individuals arrested following the assassination of Ecuador’s presidential candidate, Fernando Villavicencio, are foreign nationals.
The tragic event occurred during an armed assault last Wednesday.
During a press briefing with Interior Minister Juan Zapata, Police Chief Fausto Salinas shared details about the incident that resulted in the tragic death of Villavicencio.
He was a candidate for the center-right party, Movimiento Construye, and was fatally shot after a political rally in Quito.
The government has labeled the assassination as a politically-motivated act of terrorism.
Search operations conducted in various residences in the southeast parish of Conocoto and southern Quito led to the arrest of six individuals, all identified as foreign nationals, although their specific nationalities remain undisclosed.
They were escorted to the Prosecution’s Flagrancy Unit under police protection.
Minister Zapata said two of those arrested were at the crime scene.
He further emphasized the police’s commitment to capturing the individuals responsible for this heinous crime, stating that they are dedicating all their investigative resources to determine the motive and identify any masterminds behind the attack.
Preliminary findings suggest the arrested individuals are affiliated with organized crime groups, but no additional information was provided.
Evidence gathered from the arrested persons included an array of weapons: a rifle, a submachine gun, four pistols, three grenades, two rifle magazines, ammunition, two motorcycles, and a stolen vehicle believed to be used by the perpetrators.
During the event, three of Villavicencio’s security personnel sustained gunshot injuries but are currently in stable condition.
During the investigation at the crime scene, authorities discovered the firearm used in the assassination and an unexploded grenade thrown at police units.