Assassination casts shadow over Ecuador's presidential election

Nearly 100,000 soldiers were deployed to ensure public order and safety across Ecuador on election day, according to the Ecuadorian government .

Ecuadorians line up to vote. Photo: Reuters

However, during the election, the country's National Electoral Council (CNE) said its telephone voting platform had been hacked. Diana Atamaint, president of the CNE, assured that ballots would be "protected intact".

More than a week ago, presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio, a former journalist known for his anti-corruption campaign, was assassinated during a campaign event.

Several Ecuadorian politicians have been murdered this year, but Mr Villavicencio’s death has drawn international attention. Preliminary investigations suggest the arrested suspects were members of organized crime groups.

On the eve of the vote, another candidate, Otto Sonnenholzner, said a shooting had occurred near where he and his family were having breakfast.

Just a few years ago, Ecuador was considered a relatively safe place compared to its neighbors Colombia and Peru, two of the world's largest cocaine producers.

However, violence has escalated in recent years as organized crime groups have spread to Ecuador, engaging in high-level bribery, extorting businesses, taking over prisons and murdering anyone who gets in their way.

Widespread discontent and soaring crime rates have undermined the popularity of outgoing President Guillermo Lasso, who has called for early elections on August 20 and is not running.

Luisa González from the Movimiento Revolución Ciudadana (RC) party is currently the frontrunner and the only woman running for President.

Ms González has promised to boost public spending and social programmes, and wants to tackle the security crisis by tackling the root causes of violence, such as poverty and inequality.

Ms González, a former tourism and labor minister, has also called for strengthening the judiciary to help crack down on criminal groups, analysts say.

Hoang Nam (according to CNN, Reuters)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/vu-am-sat-ung-vien-tong-thong-phu-bong-den-len-cuoc-bau-cu-ecuador-post261317.html