Ecuador declares state of emergency after presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio assassinated at political rally
Ecuador has declared a state of emergency after a gunman shot and killed presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio as he was leaving a political rally in Quito on Wednesday.
Incumbent president, Guillermo Lasso, declared three days of national mourning and a state of emergency that involves extra military personnel deployed throughout the country.
He said: “Given the loss of a democrat and a fighter, the elections are not suspended, on the contrary, they have to be held, and democracy has to be strengthened.”
Video shared on social media of the shooting shows the politician walking out of the event surrounded by guards, escorting him through a crowd of people gathered outside, chanting and applauding.
Mr Villavicencio is then seen being ushered into the backseat of a waiting, white truck – moments before the gunfire rings out and the rear passenger door shuts.
More than a dozen gunshots can be heard – as well as shouts and screams as people run and duck for cover, inside and outside the venue.
A criminal group called Los Lobos – or “The Wolves” – has since claimed responsibility for the killing. It is the second largest criminal group in Ecuador, with more than 8,000 members across the country.
In a video released by the group, a member said: “We want to make it clear to the entire Ecuadorian nation that every time corrupt politicians don’t keep their promise that we agree to when they receive our money, which is millions of dollars to finance their campaign, they will be removed.
“Our organisation, Los Lobos, assumes responsibility for what happened this evening – and it will happen again when corrupt people don’t keep their word.”
Meanwhile, six people have been arrested in the wake of the incident.
The killing comes amid an alarming wave of violence in the country not seen for decades, with drug trafficking and violent killings on the rise.
Mr Lasso suggested an organised crime gang was behind the killing.
Mr Villavicencio was one of eight candidates in the 20 August presidential vote, though not the frontrunner.
“I assure you that this crime will not go unpunished,” Mr Lasso said in a statement.
“Organised crime has gone too far, but they will feel the full weight of the law.”
Ecuador’s attorney general’s office said a suspect in the assassination died of wounds after being arrested by authorities.
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Patricio Zuquilanda, Mr Villavicencio’s campaign adviser, said the candidate had received death threats before the shooting, which he had reported to authorities and resulted in one detention.
He called on international authorities to take action against the violence, attributing it to drug trafficking.
“The Ecuadorian people are crying and Ecuador is mortally wounded,” he said.
“Politics cannot lead to the death of any member of society.”
Police confirmed that several others were injured, including officers, describing the incident as a terrorist act and promising to get to the bottom of the killing.
Presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio speaking at the rally
Mr Villavicencio, 59, was the candidate for the Build Ecuador Movement.
The politician was one of the most critical voices against corruption, especially during the government of former president Rafael Correa from 2007 to 2017.
He filed many judicial complaints against high ranking members of the Correa government.
Mr Villavicencio was married and is survived by five children.
Banned from Eurovision after its invasion of Ukraine, Russia will hold a rival international song contest on Saturday, with an emphasis on “traditional values”.
Instead of camp, think conservative – patriotic pop with a PG-rating.
“Intervision” was launched under the order of Vladimir Putin, with the hope it would serve as an expression of Moscow’s international pulling power.
Intervision decorations in Red Square, Moscow, ahead of the contest
There are contestants from 23 countries, which are a mixture of Russia’s allies old and new, including Belarus, Cuba and Tajikistan as well as China, India and Saudi Arabia.
The odd one out is the United States, who’ll be represented by an artist called “Vassy”. She’s not part of an official delegation, but an American voice is still a coup for the Kremlin, which will seek to use this contest as proof of the West’s failure to isolate Russia on the global stage.
‘War whitewash’
Intervision is not entirely new. It was originally launched in the 1960s as an instrument of Soviet soft power, before largely fading from view in the 1980s.
According to Moscow, its revival has nothing to do with politics. But Ukraine has condemned it as propaganda, and an attempt to whitewash Russia’s war.
It was a point I put to some contestants after their final press conferences, but it didn’t go down well.
“We don’t think like that, we are here to spread peace,” India’s Rauhan Malik told me, when I asked if his participation was a show of support for Russia’s invasion.
Malik, one of the contestants
“Are you not turning a blind eye to Russia’s aggression?” I countered.
“I have no idea about it,” he said. “I have no idea about the current situation that’s happening. I don’t want to speak about that as well.”
Eurovision legends Abba would almost certainly not make the Russian contest guest list. Pic: AP
Really? He had no idea? But before I could go on, I felt a forceful hand on my shoulder and a minder stepped in.
The intervention was even quicker when it came to speaking to Brazil’s act. As soon as I mentioned the word Ukraine, I was drowned out by shouts of “no, no, no, no” and the duo were ushered away.
Brazilian contestants, duo Luciano Calazans and Thais Nader
Where’s the glitter?
Intervision is not just a reaction to Russia’s recent exclusion from Eurosivion, however, it’s also a reaction to the contest’s values and what it’s come to represent.
Its celebration of sexual diversity and LGBTQ+ rights are seen as a symbol of what the Kremlin calls the West’s moral decline. In contrast, Intervision organisers say their contest will promote “traditional, family values.”
Judging by the costumes on show ahead of last week’s draw, that translates to less glitter, more embroidery, with a thematic emphasis on national heritage.
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So what do Russians think of Intervision’s resurrection? Can it replace Eurovision?
“We don’t miss Eurovision,” Galina and Tatiana say, underneath a collection of purple and pink ‘Intervision’ flags near Red Square.
“It was so horrible, especially lately. We didn’t like watching it at all.”
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Why are countries boycotting Eurovision?
Polina agrees, believing Russia’s version will be “more interesting”.
“Many countries that participated in Eurovision want to boycott it, so it’s interesting to see a more peaceful event now,” she says.
Igor is more circumspect. “I’d like to believe that this isn’t a political event,” he says, “but rather an event that unites nations and people.”
Intervision will succeed in uniting some nations. But at the same time, it may only deepen divisions with others – further evidence that Russia and the West are singing very different tunes.
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