GUAYAQUIL | AFP | Six Colombian suspects linked to the assassination of Ecuadorian presidential candidate and anti-corruption advocate Fernando Villavicencio in August were killed in a prison in Guayaquil on Friday, just a week before a crucial election runoff.
Right-wing President Guillermo Lasso, who was abroad for a private trip and official visit, immediately returned to Ecuador to address the incident.
The SNAI prisons authority reported that “an event occurred” in Guayas 1 prison in Guayaquil, resulting in the deaths of six individuals, later confirming they were of Colombian nationality and accused of murdering former presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio.
Villavicencio, a 59-year-old journalist, was assassinated on August 9 as he left a campaign rally in Quito, days ahead of the first round vote.
Following news of the prison deaths, Lasso announced his return to Ecuador, stating, “In the next few hours I will return to Ecuador to attend to this emergency. Neither complicity nor cover-up, here the truth will be known.”
Authorities, including the public prosecutor’s office, police, and the military, are executing security protocols in response to the disturbance. Specialized military personnel will conduct raids and reconnaissance of Cellblock 7, where the incidents originated.
No further details have been provided about the killings, which occurred shortly before the second round of the presidential election on October 15.
The runoff will feature a candidate closely associated with former socialist president Rafael Correa, against a right-wing candidate. The assassination of Villavicencio, who had been polling in second place, had a significant impact on the election, with corruption and security issues at the forefront.
Six Colombians with extensive criminal records were arrested shortly after the assassination, while a seventh was killed at the scene.
Villavicencio had conducted numerous investigations, including exposing a major corruption network that resulted in former President Correa being sentenced to eight years in prison. Correa has been living in exile in Belgium.
Villavicencio’s outspoken stance against drug cartels had made him a target for criminal organizations. Guayas 1 prison, where the incident occurred, houses approximately 6,800 inmates and is part of a larger prison complex in Guayaquil, an area marked by a violent struggle between rival drug-trafficking gangs.
Since 2021, over 430 inmates have died violently, often subjected to gruesome violence amid disputes among gangs. In late August, multiple prison guards were taken hostage before being released.
Ecuador has witnessed a substantial increase in homicides between 2018 and 2022, reaching a record 26 per 100,000 inhabitants. Experts predict this rate could rise to 40 this year.
Ecuador, once known for its peace, has been affected by drug cartels displaced from other South American nations, taking advantage of the country’s lax controls, widespread corruption, and dollarized economy.
The prison crisis has become a major point of debate in the lead-up to the second-round election between leftist lawyer Luisa Gonzalez and 35-year-old newcomer Daniel Noboa, who has proposed offshore facilities for holding the country’s most violent prisoners.
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