Otto Sonnenholzner, from the Actuemos alliance, asked his opponents to stop the vote-catching rallies “to sit down and discuss the country’s future” because “if we do not unite at this moment we will sink.”

Similarly, Yaku Pérez, from the Claro que se puede coalition, asked the rest of participants in the presidential race to meet in Quito on Thursday.

Jan Topic, representative of the Por un país sin miedo alliance, also cancelled his campaign “out of respect for this unfortunate death and for the safety of the campaign team.”

From an event in the community of Carapungo, in the north of Quito, Luisa González, from Revolución Ciudadana, did the same and said that political differences are resolved at the ballot box, not with violence.

Bolivar Armijos, from the Amigo movement, joined the group of candidates who decided to cancel their campaign activities “out of solidarity and respect” for Villavicencio.

On the other hand, Daniel Noboa and Xavier Hervas, who are also seeking the presidency, regretted the incident, but have not said whether or not they will continue with their campaign.

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