Five jailed over assassination of Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio
GuardianJUL 1 2024
Ecuador: Five Jailed for 2023 Presidential Candidate Murder
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The high-profile assassination of Fernando Villavicencio wasn't an isolated incident in violence-ridden Ecuador, as gangs have killed many popular figures — from officials and politicians to athletes, artists, and prominent drug lords. As Quito has sought to curb the rising crime and corruption once and for all with a state of emergency, American support may prove crucial.
Establishment-critical narrative
One must be disturbingly naive at best to believe that further US interference is what Ecuador needs after the killing of a presidential candidate who had long been an alleged CIA asset. Though Villavicencio fabricated lies to boost the Russiagate invention and resolutely obstructed the impeachment of US-backed Guillermo Lasso, his candidacy had turned him into a dangerous liability for the Agency.