The assassination of the Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio on Wednesday marked a frightening new moment, even in a country where homicide levels are rocketing. Rising violence and crime are the central issue of the election in which the former journalist fought. The 59-year-old, shot dead as he left an event in Quito, was a courageous whistleblower who campaigned on the slogan: “It’s time for the brave”.
While he had reported death threats from a gang leader, and the incumbent president, Guillermo Lasso, has blamed organised crime groups, much remains to be determined. Mr Villavicencio’s outspokenness on corruption and alleged links between organised crime and politics had made him enemies among the political class and in areas such as the oil industry. What is clear is that murder and violence linked to the drugs trade have soared in Ecuador in recent years, a pattern also seen in other Latin American countries previously regarded as relatively safe and stable, such as Chile.
