Ecuador judge deliberates on trial for Villavicencio assassination masterminds

Three years after the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio in Quito, Ecuador is approaching a potential resolution regarding the masterminds behind the killing. A judge is currently deliberating whether to send seven individuals to trial as the alleged intellectual authors of the assassination.

The murder, which occurred as Villavicencio was leaving a campaign rally in 2023, is considered one of the most notorious killings in the country’s recent history. The event significantly impacted the direction of the national election and occurred amidst a broader security crisis involving prison massacres and rising street violence.