In Ecuador, Fernando Villavicencio, a candidate running in the upcoming presidential election, known for addressing corruption and gang-related issues, was fatally shot during a campaign event in Quito on Thursday.
Villavicencio was shot and killed as he was leaving a campaign rally at a school north of the capital Quito, 10 days before the first round of the presidential election was set to take place.
The responsibility for the attack was claimed by a criminal group called Los Lobos (The Wolves), the second-largest gang in Ecuador with around 8,000 incarcerated members.
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Fernando Villavicencio was an Ecuadorian politician, trade unionist and journalist who ran for president of Ecuador in the 2023 general election.
He served as a member of the National Assembly from 2021 until the dissolution of the legislative body on 17 May 2023.
The election, scheduled for August 20, will go ahead as planned, the Electoral Council President Diana Atamaint said Thursday, CNN news reported.
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