Photo: Prensa Latina.

Quito, Aug 13 (RHC) Ecuador's Construye movement, which sponsored the murdered candidate Fernando Villavicencio, proposed Saturday his running mate, Andrea González, to replace him in his aspirations to become president of the Republic.

This proposal must still be endorsed by the National Electoral Council (CNE), based on the Code of Democracy, norm that regulates the electoral processes.

Constitutional lawyer Mauro Andino, explained that this provision does not allow resigning a candidacy to run for another one and that in this type of cases, in case of death of a candidate, what the law foresees is the substitution by another person of the same political organization.

According to its interpretation, Gonzalez could not assume Villavicencio's role because her nomination as vice-president is un- renounceable, according to the law.

However, Construye insists on her nomination and in a statement published in its social networks indicates that it will later announce who would be the vice-presidential candidate.

On Saturday morning, Edwin Ortega, vice-president of the Gente Buena movement, which also supported Villavicencio, expressed his disagreement with the nomination of Gonzalez for the elections of August 20.

However, this afternoon both groups apparently resolved internal disputes and Gente Buena decided to support the proposal.

The CNE is expected to give an answer on whether or not to accept the new candidate as soon as possible, as there are a few hours left before the televised presidential debate, scheduled for this Sunday, August 13 at 19:00, local time.

Villavicencio's murder last Wednesday, August 9, shocked the country and disrupted an exceptional and anticipated electoral process, prepared in only 90 days after President Guillermo Lasso decreed the cross death last May (Source: Prensa Latina).