Six inmates who were suspects in the August assassination of a presidential candidate in Ecuador were reportedly killed Oxt. 6 inside the Litoral Penitentiary, CBS News reported.
The inmates, all Colombian nationals, were accused of killing the former presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio, per CBS News. They were identified as: Jhon Gregore R., Andrés Manuel M., Adey Fernando G., Camilo Andrés R., Sules Osmini C. and José Neyder L.
Litoral is Ecuador’s largest and one of its most perilous prisons. It has been a frequent site of deadly riots over the past three years. The investigation into Villavicencio’s murder was approaching its conclusion when a disturbance erupted in Litoral prison, raising questions about its potential impact on the ongoing case.
Tras la información de los seis crímenes ocurridos en el Centro de Privación de Libertad No. 1, en Guayaquil, he dispuesto sesionar, de inmediato, al Gabinete de Seguridad.
En las próximas horas regresaré al Ecuador para atender esta emergencia.
Ni complicidad ni…
— Guillermo Lasso (@LassoGuillermo) October 7, 2023
Villavicencio met a tragic end Aug. 9 when he was shot dead while leaving a political rally. Although he hadn’t been considered a front-runner in the presidential race, his assassination in broad daylight just weeks before the election shocked the nation. The deceased politician reportedly received threats from associates of Mexico’s Sinaloa drug cartel prior to his murder, CBS added. (RELATED: Pennsylvania Dem Senate Candidate Sought To Empty Prisons While In Power, Records Show)
Law enforcement agencies, including the public prosecutor’s office, police and the military, initiated security protocols in response to the killings. Specialized military personnel were dispatched to conduct reconnaissance and regain control of Cellblock 7, where the incident took place, France 24 reported.
Ecuadoran President Guillermo Lasso announced his immediate convening of the Security Cabinet and expressed his commitment to uncovering the truth behind these incidents. He emphasized there would be no complicity or cover-up in the investigation. “In the next few hours I will return to Ecuador to attend to this emergency. Neither complicity nor cover-up, here the truth will be known,” Lasso wrote on X (formerly Twitter), per France 24.