QUITO, Aug 10 (Reuters) - The assassination of Ecuadorean presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio shocked the South American country, where rising drug-related violence is a major concern for voters, leading some of his rivals to suspend campaigning.
Nine people, including a candidate for the legislature and two police officers, were injured, it added.
"Ecuador has become a failed state," Correa, who now lives in Belgium, said on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
[1/4]Ecuadorean presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio speaks during a campaign rally in Quito, Ecuador August 9, 2023.
Indigenous candidate Yaku Perez and law-and-order hopeful Jan Topic both suspended their campaigns, while businessman Otto Sonnenholzner begged the government to take action.
Persons:
Ecuadorean, Fernando Villavicencio, Guillermo Lasso, Lasso, Rafael Correa, Villavicencio, Correa, Karen Toro, Luisa Gonzalez, Yaku Perez, Otto Sonnenholzner, Construye, Alexandra Valencia, Julia Symmes Cobb, Lincoln
Organizations:
REUTERS, Albanian, Manta, Thomson
Locations:
QUITO, American, Quito, Ecuador, Peru, Belgium