The world repudiates the “cowardly murder” of Fernando Villavicencio and asks that he not go unpunished

International organizations, governments and dignitaries from around the world unanimously condemned the “cowardly murder” of the presidential candidate Fernando Villavicenciowhile they were concerned about its repercussions on the democracy of Latin America and they asked Ecuador that the crime does not go unpunished.

The shooting on Wednesday of Villavicencio, who had denounced death threats against him weeks before, shocked Ecuador in the middle of the electoral campaign for the extraordinary general elections of the next 20th of August that previously revolved around the security crisis that the country is going through, with recurring murders, massacres and prison riots by organized crime gangs, which the candidate had promised to fight.

LOOK HERE: Fernando Villavicencio: what is known about the 6 Colombians captured for the murder of the presidential candidate

Ecuadorian President William Lassowhich ratified the holding of the elections on the scheduled date, decreed a state of emergency for 60 days for the deployment of military personnel throughout the country.

Given the serious situation that exists, the general secretary of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagroaffirmed during an extraordinary session of the Permanent Council of the entity that “the enemy of democracy is organized crime”, and added that the body is willing to make efforts to “ensure the rule of law” in Ecuador.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turkassured in turn that the violence against political representatives “is a serious threat to the electoral process”, and asked the Ecuadorian authorities that the murder investigation be “transparent, comprehensive and independent”.

FBI help on the ground

The US Government affirmed that the assassination constitutes a “brazen attack on democracy and the rule of law in Ecuador”. His Secretary of State, Anthony Blinkenassured that his country “stands ready to support local authorities in bringing the perpetrators of this heinous act to Justice”.

And for this he offeredurgent investigative assistance”, as the US ambassador to Ecuador wrote in a message on Twitter, michael fitzpatrickwho referred to Villavicencio as a “fighter against the corrupt and drug criminals who have done so much damage to Ecuador”.

This same Thursday, a delegation from the fbi to support the investigation of the crime and guarantee that it does not go unpunished.

In the same vein, the European Unionwhat did he say “that the perpetrators and organizers of this heinous crime must be brought to justice”. The high representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs, the Spanish Josep Borrellin a statement on behalf of the EU, stressed that “To ensure a free democratic electoral process, it is crucial that strong protection measures be taken for all electoral candidates”.

Panama, Costa Rica and Dominican Republicfounding countries of the Alliance for Development in Democracy (ADD), they also rejected “all threats and actions of electoral violence” in Ecuador. The members of this space for dialogue and strategic coordination emphasized that “The security of the candidates for the presidency must be guaranteed so that the electoral process can be carried out with the participation of the citizenry in a framework of transparency and pluralism, necessary for the preservation of peace and democracy.”.

MORE INFORMATION: Who is alias ‘Fito’, the leader of Los Choneros who threatened the assassinated Fernando Villavicencio

For its part, the Colombian government showed its rejection “vehemently” an act that considered that “attacks leaders, the people and the democracy of the neighboring country”. Meanwhile, the former president ivan duke asked the Ecuadorian authorities to clarify “urgentlythat crime.

In bolivianwhose government also condemned the crime, the former president Evo Morales expressed his “I repudiate the cowardly and criminal attack that ended the life” de Villavicencio, while the former president and main opposition leader Carlos Mesa assured “that criminal gangs will prevail if the States continue to be permissive and inefficient in combating them relentlessly, without fear and above all without the complicity that guarantees them impunity”.

The government of Uruguay expressed his “condemnation and dismay” before the murder of Villavicencio, Argentina stated his “repudiation” for said crime, while Brazil showed “confidence that those responsible for this deplorable act will be identified and brought to justice” and Guatemala condemned him”firmly”.

The Mexican President, Andres Manuel Lopez Obradorwarned that “These are very difficult, unfortunate times”, to immediately ensure that “no items” who support the version that the Sinaloa cartel was behind the murder of Villavicencio, who on July 31 had reported threats of Jose Adolfo Macias Villamaralias “phyto”, identified as the leader of The Chonerosa group with ties to the Sinaloa Cartel.

However, and although he also stressed that “there is no evidence” of the participation of Mexican cartels in the murder, the chancellor of Mexico, Alicia Barcenastated that they will remain “attentive” before any revelation about the motive of the crime.

The Ecuador Police He has already clarified that the six arrested for the murder of Villavicencio are Colombians.

Concern inside and outside America for democracy

Faced with the repercussions of the crime, Peru expressed its “firmer rejection of all acts of violence and intimidation that affect the development of democracy in the region”, and the president-elect of Paraguayan, santiago penawho will take office next Tuesday, repudiated and condemned it, expressing, like the majority of the world, its solidarity with Ecuador “in this difficult moment”.

ALSO SEE: Ecuador: video captures the moment of the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio

With that concern in mind, the president of Honduras, Xiomara Castrostated that “defeating organized crime is the mandate of our democracies”.

Spain, for its part, stressed that “supports the Ecuadorian electoral process, its democracy and the authorities of that country so that this tragic death be investigated and the culprits brought to justice“, while Chinathrough its Embassy in Ecuador, condemned “strongly” the crime.

Finally, Italy condemned the “cowardly murder” of the Ecuadorian presidential candidate, Fernando Villavicenciowhich he described as “a severe blow to the democratic life of the country”, as published on social networks by the Italian Foreign Minister and Vice President, Antonio Tajani.

Source: Elcomercio

jack

I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.