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Shop NowIt is with immense sadness and sorrow that we report on the tragic assassination of Ecuadorian presidential candidate, Fernando Villavicencio.
The former journalist and serving congressman was shot dead at a campaign rally in Quito, Wednesday evening.
In his campaign against corruption and gangs, he had become a target for the second largest gang in Ecuador, Los Lobos.
BREAKING: Ecuadorian Presidential Candidate Fernando Villavicencio has reportedly been assassinated at a campaign rally.
***The following video is the suspect who was captured at the rally***
According to reports, Villavicencio was shot three times in the head and a grenade was… pic.twitter.com/Eux659jzYw
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) August 10, 2023
This cowardly act serves as another example of how criminal gangs are infiltrating Latin America and must be stopped immediately.
Los Lobos is an organized crime gang based in Ecuador with an estimated 8,000 members.
Reports show that many of these members are behind bars but still manage to orchestrate violent prison fights resulting in numerous fatalities every year.
It has been linked to Mexico-based Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), for which it traffics cocaine throughout the region.
Last week they threatened Mr Villavicencio’s life before claiming responsibility for his death via video featuring members wearing balaclavas flashing gang signs and waving their weapons while taunting authorities.
In this horrific incident, we can once again see the power wielded by criminal gangs over Latin American politics as well as society itself.
Ecuador has traditionally been a relatively safe country in comparison to other countries in the region but recently crime levels have skyrocketed due to increased Colombian and Mexican drug cartel presence.
As we approach the presidential election set to take place within two weeks from now security is sure to remain a major concern among citizens across the country given recent events unfolding before our very eyes.
This demonstrates just how much danger these cartels pose not just to individuals but entire nations if left unchecked by governments everywhere or worse yet enabled by them like suspected here in this case.
