As several candidates for the presidency of Ecuador in a poll later this month turned up for a national debate wearing protective vests, his party on Sunday chose a reporter to fill his spot on the ballot.
The Movimiento Construye political party declared Sunday that journalist Christian Zurita of Ecuador will run in place of deceased candidate Fernando Villavicencio in the nation’s elections on August 20.
Villavicencio, a 59-year-old journalist who was well-known for his anti-corruption campaigns, was shot and killed on Wednesday night as he was leaving a demonstration in the nation’s capital, Quito.
Contrary to Construye’s prediction on Saturday that Villavicencio’s running mate, Andrea Gonzalez, would be named the party’s nominee, Zurita has now been named as the front-runner.
Gonzalez had already registered as the vice presidential candidate for the August 20 election, though, thus party officials were concerned that Gonzalez’s candidacy may be disqualified by election officials.
Prior to his shocking murder, Villavicencio was second in the polls.
The assassination of the Villavicencio was attributed to organized crime by President Guillermo Lasso.
Zurita and another contender, Daniel Noboa, both showed up Sunday evening at a television studio wearing protective jackets before of a nationwide debate, in a sign of the anxiety currently permeating the campaign.
It was heavily guarded.
