Twelve attacks on candidates to different positions have been reported. The most recent was the murder of Julio Cesar Farachio on Saturday, who was seeking to become mayor in Salinas, in Santa Elena province.

Other candidates, or people linked to them, have not been murdered, but they are victims, whose lives are at risk, due to aggressions with firearms, stabbings, explosions of vehicles, or explosives in houses. To all of these actions on Ecuador´s streets, violence in the virtual world is also added.

Upon presenting the results of the Monitoring Center in the framework of the electoral process, the Citizen Participation Corporation warned about a rise in hate speeches in social media, mainly against women who are running for several positions.

More than 13 million Ecuadorians are called to vote on February the 5th. to elect 23 provincial prefects, 221 mayors, 864 urban councilors, 443 rural councilors, and 4,109 parish board members.

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