A presidential candidate in Ecuador has been shot and killed at campaign event

Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio was shot and killed at a political rally in Quito amid a wave of increasing violence in the country.

The incident: Villavicencio was assassinated by an unknown gunman at a political event on Wednesday in Quito.
* Social media videos appear to show the candidate exiting the event surrounded by guards, and entering a vehicle before gunfire ensues.
* The attack also resulted in injuries to several others, but authorities have yet to confirm how many.

Who was Villavicencio: The 59-year-old politician was a candidate for the Build Ecuador Movement, and was known for being a vocal critic of corruption.
* He was one of eight presidential candidates for the late August election and stood as a significant voice against corruption during the government of former President Rafael Correa from 2007 to 2017.
* A strong critic of corruption, Villavicencio filed numerous judicial complaints against high-ranking members of the Correa administration.

Response to the killing: President Guillermo Lasso has promised the crime will not go unpunished, saying organized crime in the region has crossed a line.
* “Organized crime has gone too far, but they will feel the full weight of the law,” President Lasso vowed in a statement.

Personal details: Villavicencio was married and is survived by five children.

View original article on NPR

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