Presidential candidate Luisa Gonzalez, Quito, Ecuador, Aug. 16, 2023. | Photo: X/ @LuisaGonzalezEc

Quito, August 18 (RHC)-- In Quito, the Ecuadorian capital,  Luisa Gonzalez, presidential candidate of the Revolución Ciudadana, affirmed that she will immediately create a commission to investigate the assassination of Fernando Villavicencio once she takes office as president of Ecuador.

Gonzalez stated categorically that there are many doubts about the crime of Villavicencio, who was shot dead by hit men as he was leaving a rally in Quito on August 9 and while he was supposedly well protected by the National Police forces.

So far, the Ecuadorian police authorities have reported that six individuals of Colombian nationality were detained as alleged perpetrators of the crime.  Another individual identified as the possible shooter died after being captured and while he was in the offices of the Prosecutor's Office.

Before his murder, Villavicencio reported death threats against him allegedly from Adolfo Macias (aka Fito), the leader of the Los Choneros, a gang dedicated to drug trafficking and organized crime.

"There are many dark things" behind this assassination, Luisa Gonzalez noted, recalling versions of experts who have questioned the deficiencies of the police protection.  Among them is the fact that Villavicencio did not use an armored vehicle that was nearby.

"His cell phone is also missing," pointed out the Citizen Revolution presidencial candidate, who remains the leader in all vote intention polls published to date.

Next Sunday, over 13 million Ecuadorians have been summoned to the polls to elect their president, vice president, and 137 legislators.  The new authorities will hold office until 2025, the date on which current President Guillermo Lasso was expected to finish his term.

In May, however, the former banker and conservative politician decided to dissolve Congress and call early elections to avoid his impeachment.