A communiqué published on Wednesday on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its condolences to the Ecuadoran Government and people and, in particular, to the victim’s family.

“This unjustifiable act reminds us of the importance of strengthening democratic coexistence and dialogue as a tool to fight intolerance and violence,” the text stated.

According to preliminary information, Villavicencio was shot several times as he was leaving a rally in the run-up to the August 20 elections.

Villavicencio, 59 years old, was a journalist, assemblyman and leader of the Parliament’s Oversight Commission and was running for the presidency for the right-wing Construye-Gente Buena coalition.

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