Ecuador charges ex-minister in Villavicencio assassination case
Ecuadorian prosecutors have charged a former government minister in connection with the 2023 assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio. Six other suspects have also been charged, including the alleged leader of the criminal group Los Lobos, prosecutors said. None of the accused has yet been convicted.
Ecuador's attorney general's office announced charges against a former government minister, accusing him of playing a role in the 2023 assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio, who was shot dead at a campaign rally in Quito weeks before the election.
Prosecutors said six other people have been charged with having an indirect role in the killing, including the alleged leader of the criminal organization Los Lobos, one of Ecuador's largest gangs with reported links to drug trafficking. Investigators allege the group provided logistical support, though prosecutors have not yet detailed the former minister's specific alleged role, and none of the accused has been convicted.
The Villavicencio case has remained one of Ecuador's most closely watched investigations, as the country contends with rising organized-crime violence. Officials say the investigation continues, and additional charges or evidence could emerge as prosecutors build a case for trial.
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