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| Caribbean-Latin America | |
| Ecuador officials, FBI seek answers in candidate's murder; party taps new prospect | |
| 2023-08-14 | |
| FBI? Curious.
[FoxNews] Christian Zurita, if approved by electoral council, will replace slain Fernando Villavicencio as the Build party candidate Days after an Ecuadorian presidential candidate was assassinated, the backing party, on Sunday, has tapped a new candidate to take his place and the FBI is working with officials to find out who was behind the murder. Fernando Villavicencio, 59, was killed in an armed attack after a rally in the country’s capital last Wednesday, and according to reports, he had received at least three death threats leading up to the fatal shooting. The candidate’s murder sent shockwaves through the country, with a population of about 18 million, which has seen a sharp spike in transnational criminal gang crime over the past few years. Villavicencio was a journalist who investigated corruption from previous governments before entering the ring as a politician and anti-graft campaigner who vowed he was not afraid of the gangs, even though he received threats. Interior minister Juan Zapata told reporters on Sunday that local police leaders and the FBI had already met and planned to meet with prosecutors leading the investigation into Villavicencio’s death. So far, six Colombian nationals accused of having ties to criminal groups, have been charged with the crime and remain in custody. A seventh suspect died shortly after the candidate’s murder in an exchange of gunfire. Earlier in the day, leaders of the Build party, or Construye in Spanish, announced Christian Zurita would replace Villavicencio as the party’s top candidate. The decision came a day after party leaders chose Andrea Gonzalez, the would-be vice-presidential candidate, to replace Villavicencio in the Aug. 20 vote. Like Villavicencio, Zurita is a journalist who had collaborated with the slain candidate. Zurita’s candidacy must be approved by the national electoral council. "We're going to try to emulate his abilities and we're going to try to emulate his name," Zurita, who was wearing a bulletproof vest, said at a press conference. Related: Villavicencio: 2023-08-12 Ecuador Arrests 6 Colombians in Slaying of Presidential Candidate Villavicencio: 2023-08-10 Ecuador presidential candidate assassinated: Fernando Villavicencio is shot dead while leaving a political rally less than two weeks before the vote Villavicencio: 2022-10-05 Peruvian drug kingpin Leandro ''El Patrón'' Norero, dead again | |
| Posted by:Skidmark |
| #2 The US just can't stay out of other nations' business, can they? Then again, perhaps those Ecuador officials need some tips on how to cover stuff up. It never hurts to get a second opinion. |
| Posted by: DooDahMan 2023-08-14 21:34 |
| #1 Seeks |
| Posted by: Rex Mundi 2023-08-14 12:08 |