A court in Ecuador has handed down prison sentences ranging from 12 to 34 years to five individuals found guilty of conspiring to murder presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio. The journalist-turned-politician was shot dead while leaving a rally in August 2023, leaving the country in shock and prompting the government to declare a state of emergency.
The ruling, delivered by Milton Maroto, one of the court’s three judges, can be appealed by both the prosecution and the defense. The trial, which began in June, saw prosecutors accusing at least two of the defendants of belonging to Los Lobos, one of the 22 criminal gangs designated as “terrorists” by President Daniel Noboa in January. The suspects were also alleged to have ties to the administration of former President Rafael Correa.
According to the attorney general’s office, Carlos Edwin Angulo Lara, known as ‘El Invisible’ (‘The Invisible’), gave the order to murder Villavicencio from his jail cell, while Laura Dayanara Castillo was responsible for logistics. Both Angulo and Castillo received prison sentences of 34 years and eight months. The remaining defendants, Erick Ramirez, Victor Flores, and Alexandra Chimbo, were handed prison terms of 12 years.
Villavicencio, known for his journalism that exposed corruption and connections between organized crime and politicians, had long faced threats. Prosecutors are currently conducting a separate investigation to determine who ordered the murder.
During the trial, a witness testified that there was a $200,000 bounty on Villavicencio’s head due to his campaign against gangs and corruption. The witness also accused the defendants of working for individuals with links to Rafael Correa, who is currently in exile after being convicted on corruption charges in 2020. Correa, who resides in Belgium, denies any involvement in the murder.
Veronica Sarauz, Villavicencio’s widow, urged the judges to apply the full weight of the law to the accused. Meanwhile, Villavicencio’s daughter, Amanda, expressed the need for the truth to be revealed and to prevent such incidents from happening again.
Outside the court, relatives and supporters held up posters demanding justice for Villavicencio and condemning the cowardly murderers. Since 2023, Ecuador has witnessed a disturbing surge in violence, with nearly a dozen politicians being assassinated. The country’s strategic location, with ports on the Pacific, has made it a transit point for cocaine trafficking from Colombia and Peru to the United States and Europe.
2 Responses
This court ruling is like a puzzle coming together, where each piece represents the role and responsibility of the individuals involved in the conspiracy to murder presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio. Just like a puzzle, the court carefully examined and connected the evidence, forming a complete picture of the crime. The varying prison sentences handed down symbolize the severity of each person’s involvement, with some receiving longer sentences for their more significant roles in the conspiracy.
This case reminds me of a similar incident that occurred in my country a few years ago. There was a high-profile political candidate running for office who had gained a lot of popularity due to his progressive policies and promises of change. However, there were powerful individuals who saw him as a threat to their own interests and decided to take drastic measures to eliminate him.
These individuals conspired to hire a hitman to assassinate the candidate. They believed that by eliminating him, they would be able to maintain their