Ecuador politician murder suspects are Colombian, police say

The six radical who person been arrested successful transportation with the sidesplitting of Ecuadorian statesmanlike campaigner Fernando Villavicencio are Colombian, constabulary say.

A seventh suspect, who died from wounds successful a shootout with constabulary connected Thursday, was besides Colombian.

Mr Villavicencio was killed leaving a run lawsuit successful the superior Quito.

The interior curate said a constabulary probe into the "abominable event" was nether way.

Interior Minister Juan Zapata said officers would enactment to "discover the motive of this transgression and its intelligence authors".

The six detainees person been identified arsenic Andres M, Jose N, Eddy G, Camilo R, Jules C, and Jhon Rodriguez, Mr Zapata told a property league connected Thursday.

He added that during the constabulary raid that resulted successful their arrest, officers recovered a rifle, a submachine gun, 4 pistols, 3 grenades, 4 boxes of ammunition, 2 motorbikes, and a conveyance that had been reported stolen successful the group's possession.

A vocal professional of organized crime, Mr Villavicencio was 1 of the fewer statesmanlike candidates to allege links betwixt corruption and authorities officials.

President Guillermo Lasso said the assassination was an effort to sabotage the election.

He added that voting would spell up arsenic planned connected 20 August, contempt a nationalist authorities of emergency.

He said organised transgression was down the sidesplitting and has asked US national agents to assistance investigate, with FBI agents owed to get shortly.

Mr Villavicencio, a subordinate of the country's nationalist assembly, had received threats from a pack calling itself Los Choneros past period and had been fixed a information detail.

Following his murder, a video appeared connected societal media successful which heavy equipped men wearing balaclavas claimed work for the murder. The men claimed to beryllium to Los Lobos (The Wolves), who are rivals of Los Choneros.

However different video appeared online conscionable hours later, successful which different radical of men - this clip not wearing masks - claimed they were Los Lobos members and denied immoderate relation successful the assassination, claiming the different video was an effort by their rivals to acceptable them up for the murder.

It's the smallest of the Andean nations successful South America, sitting connected the equator (hence the name) betwixt Colombia and Peru.

Why was Mr Villavicencio shot?

He was 1 of 8 candidates successful the moving for the archetypal circular of the predetermination with a absorption connected warring corruption - and helium and his squad had been threatened by the person of a pack linked to drug-trafficking.

Once a comparatively peaceful nation, Ecuador has been ravaged by the accomplishment of planetary cause cartels profiting from a roar successful cocaine trafficking - and the contented tin lone turn successful value successful the statesmanlike predetermination campaign.