Following the assassination of Fernando Villavicencio, a former presidential candidate in Ecuador, five suspects are set to face trial. The decision was made by an Ecuadorian Criminal Guarantees judge who, following a presentation of over 80 pieces of evidence against the suspects, called them to trial. This news was announced by the Prosecutor’s Office on Wednesday.
Villavicencio, who was murdered in August 2023, was a former congressman and a journalist that spotlighted corruption issues. His assassination occurred just days before the election in which he was running for the presidency. The day following his murder, charges were brought against several detainees by the Prosecutor’s Office. Following investigations, others were also implicated in the case. In total, 13 individuals face prosecution for the assassination, and seven of them were later found dead in two prisons in Ecuador in October 2023. Washington Post has more on this story.
The individuals called to trial include Carlos Edwin AL, who was indicated as the immediate author of the murder; Laura Dayanara CV, named as a co-author; and Erick Marcelo RP, Víctor Alfonso F., and Alexandra Elizabeth Ch. F, charged as accomplices. One suspect, Oscar Andres FF, was dismissed from the case due to insufficient evidence for prosecution.
The crime was investigated and prosecuted as a murder committed publicly against a candidate for popular election. It’s alleged that the motive behind the murder was power, as killers were purportedly promised entitlement to “half of Quito” and “control of the prisons.” The wider implications of the case affects not only Ecuador, but also reaches beyond its borders. A report from a Peruvian media outlet reveals that at least one of the weapons used for the assassination had a Peruvian registration.
During the presentation of the fiscal accusation, prosecutors were reminded of the ripple effects of the attack since along with Villavicencio, twelve other individuals including police officers, political activists, and bystanders were injured during the assassination attempt. The full coverage of this development can be found here.