The six suspects currently in custody are reported to have ties to organized crime, as the local government continues to search for the mastermind behind the attacks, the Interior Minister says.
Presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio speaks during a campaign event at a school minutes before he was shot to death outside the same school in Quito, Ecuador, Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023.One suspect in Villavicencio's assassination is dead and six other suspects, said to be Colombian nationals, have been arrested, according to a press conference from Interior Minister Jose Serrano.
In response to the shocking assassination, the Armed Forces have deployed their troops throughout the national territory, so that presence of the Armed Forces is in every city and town, the Interior Minister said. White House spokesperson John Kirby spoke briefly about Villavicencio's assassination. "Well, very shocking and obviously it is heartbreaking for him and his family and his supporters. And I'm sure that all of Ecuador is grieving right now. I saw President Lasso declared a state of emergency for a couple months. So, it looks like they are taking this very, very seriously," Kirby said during an interview with CNN.
Ten people were shot, including a suspected attacker and two police officers, according to interior ministry.
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