One day after the murder of Fernando Villavicencio in Ecuador, who was running for president, the six Colombians suspected of involvement in the case were arrested in preventive custody on Thursday night (10/08).
According to the Ecuadorian Attorney General’s Office, a hearing was set up against the suspects who, based on the “conviction elements” presented by the agency, determined 30 days of detention.
Earlier on Thursday, the Ministry of the Interior of Ecuador had already informed that the six individuals captured were foreigners. Hours later, in a written statement, the National Police confirmed that the suspects are all Colombians and go by the names of Andrés Manuel Mosquera, José Neider Lopez Hitas, Adey Fernando García, Camilo Andrés Romero, Jules Osmin Castaño Alzate and Jhon Gregore Rodríguez.
The authorities claim that the seventh participant in the attack – who would have been the author of the shots that hit and killed Villavicencio, and who died during the exchange of fire with the politician’s security guards – is also Colombian, but they have not revealed his name.
The National Police of Ecuador claims that all the detainees have judicial records in Colombia for different crimes, but their possible links with drug trafficking groups or paramilitary militias are still being investigated.
The statement did not present any information linking the six detained by the police to the “Los Lobos” faction, which released a video claiming responsibility for the murder.
Death of Villavicencio
Villavicencio was a candidate for the right-wing Movimento Construye party and was murdered with three shots to the head after leaving a campaign event held in the country’s capital city of Quito.
After the murder, Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso decreed a state of exception for two months due to the case. However, the government guaranteed that the general elections will not have their calendar affected. Therefore, the first round is still scheduled for August 20th.
Lasso also announced that a delegation from the Federal Investigation Agency of the United States, the FBI, will arrive in the Latin American country to participate in the investigation into the assassination of the presidential candidate. He said he requested the support of the agents and that the US police accepted.
Source: www.brasildefato.com.br
