Quito: The race for Presidential Elections in Ecaudor has taken a deadly turn for the candidate Fernando Villavicencio. The Presidential candidate has been brutally shot dead today during a political rally in Quito. Fernando Villavicencio was shot dead by a gunman during the rally in Quito. As per reports, the Presidential candidate was shot three times in the head while he was leaving a rally at a high school on Quito. Also, a grenade was found from the scene. The horrific video of the assassination is doing rounds on social media.
Shot dead during rally
The Ecuadorean Presidential election candidate was taken to clinic that was close by, where he was declared dead by the authorities. As per reports, a police officer was also injured during the attack. The police said that a grenade was hurled at Fernando Villavicencio but the grenade did not explode for reasons unknown. Gang violence and drug trafficking are on the rise in the country. Fernando Villavicencio was one of the leading candidates in the first round of polling that was scheduled to be held on August 20. He was considered as the front-runner to succed the Ecuador President Guillermo Lasso.
Who was Fernando Villavicencio?
Fernando Villavicencio was born in Ecuador's Alausi on October 11, 1963. He was 59-years-old when he was assassinated in Quito. Villavicencio studied journalsim and communication in the Cooperative University of Colombia and was married to Veronica Sarauz. Fernando Villavicencio met Veronica Sarauz while he was working at the National Assembly. The couple has five children.
Faced imprisonment
Before running for the Presidential elections in Ecuador, Fernando Villavicencio was a journalist doing investigative journalism covering corruption and violence in the country. He also faced imprisonment and also went in exile in Peru for several months for criticising the former President of Ecuador Rafael Correa. All charges were dropped against him after spending few months in prison and was set free in February 2018.
Member of dissolved Assembly
Fernando Villavicencio was elected in the National Assembly in 2021 after failed attempt in 2017. He was the member of the National Assembly that was dissolved on May 17, 2023. Later, in 2023 he announced his Presidential candidature. He was assassinated by a gunman while he was campaigning for hi race to Presidential election in Ecuador.
