Prosecutors investigating the assassination of Ecuadorean presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio revealed that his murder was orchestrated from within a jail, leading to requests for charges against six suspects – five Ecuadoreans and one Colombian. Villavicencio, known for his stance against criminal gangs, was fatally shot outside a campaign rally in Quito in August 2023, despite receiving prior death threats and security measures. The investigation unveiled the gunman’s identity through CCTV footage and led to the arrest of six Colombian suspects, along with the seizure of weapons and ammunition. However, these suspects were later found dead in prison, raising suspicions of hired gunmen and implicating an Ecuadorean jail in orchestrating Villavicencio’s assassination. Messages traced back to an inmate in Latacunga jail linked to the Los Lobos gang, suggesting its involvement. Los Lobos, a powerful criminal organization with links to the Jalisco New Generation cartel in Mexico, has been associated with escalating gang violence in Ecuador, prompting President Daniel Noboa to declare a state of emergency.
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