Symbol supply, Getty ImagesImage caption, A vocal anti-corruption activist and journalist, Fernando Villavicencio used to be shot useless in August 2023Article informationAuthor, Matt MurphyRole, BBC News8 hours agoFive other folks connected to certainly one of Ecuador’s largest felony gangs had been jailed for the homicide of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio final 12 months. Mr Villavicencio, a member of the rustic’s nationwide meeting and an ex-journalist, used to be shot useless as he left a marketing campaign rally within the capital, Quito, final August. Carlos Angulo, the alleged chief of the Los Lobos gang, and Laura Castilla had been sentenced to 34 years and 8 months in jail for guiding the hit. Two males and a lady had been passed 12-year sentences via the court docket in Quito for helping a success squad within the assault. Prosecutors alleged that Angulo – extensively referred to as The Invisible – ordered the hit from the Quito jail through which he’s detained. He denied the fees, claiming he used to be being made a “scapegoat” for the hit. Castilla used to be left accountable for logistics for the hit. She allegedly equipped guns, cash and bikes to the lads to hold out the hit.The others – Erick Ramirez, Victor Flores and Alexandra Chimbo – had been accused of serving to the hit squad monitor Mr Villavicencio’s actions. Greater than 70 other folks gave proof throughout the trial, together with a key witness who mentioned the crowd were presented greater than $200,000 (£154,000) to kill Mr Villavicencio.A crusading anti-corruption activist, Mr Villavicencio were one of the crucial few applicants to allege hyperlinks between organised crime and govt officers in Ecuador.Within the weeks main as much as the election, the flesh presser had won loss of life threats and been given a safety element. However he endured to marketing campaign and used to be gunned down via a bunch of assailants on 9 August out of doors a faculty within the north of Quito.Prosecutors mentioned throughout the trial that one of the crucial males concerned within the assassination used to be shot useless in a war of words with police on the scene. Six different males – all Colombian nationals – had been later arrested in reference to the killing, however had been therefore discovered murdered at El Litoral jail, the place they had been being held in pre-trial detention.A separate investigation into who shrunk Los Lobos to hold out the hit stays ongoing, prosecutors have mentioned. Mr Villavicencio’s widow, Veronica Sarauz, welcomed the ruling. However she mentioned it simplest marked the start of an extended street to decide all the tale at the back of her husband’s loss of life. Ecuador has traditionally been a quite secure and strong nation in Latin The us, however crime has shot up in recent times, fuelled via the rising presence of Colombian and Mexican drug cartels, that have infiltrated native felony gangs.The Los Lobos gang led via Angulo is alleged to have deep connections to the tough Jalisco New Era cartel in Mexico.
