Headline: Director of Interamerican Institute for Democracy Blames Castro-Chavismo for Assassination of Presidential Candidate in Ecuador
Date: [Insert Date]
Miami – Carlos Sánchez Berzaín, the director of the Interamerican Institute for Democracy, has claimed that the assassination of Fernando Villavicencio, a candidate for president in Ecuador, was carried out by the Socialism of the 21st century, also known as Castro-Chavismo. Berzaín asserts that this group, led by Cuba and controlling the dictatorships of Bolivia, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, is responsible for the penetration of organized crime into Ecuadorian politics.
Berzaín states that the recent deaths of Villavicencio and Mayor Agustín Intriago have exposed the crisis in Ecuador, as both individuals had directly implicated former dictator Rafael Correa and his criminal organization in their allegations. Intriago had received threats from Correa himself through the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
Noting that corruption and persecution started under Correa’s 21st Century Socialism regime, Berzaín identifies Cuba, Venezuela, Bolivia, and Nicaragua as “narco-states” that engage in crimes such as extortion, political imprisonment, torture, and assassination.
Berzaín calls for vigilance, as he believes other political figures critical of these dictatorial regimes may be targeted next. He specifically mentions María Corina Machado in Venezuela and Patricia Bullrich in Argentina.
Fernando Villavicencio, a journalist known for his exposés on corruption within the Rafael Correa regime, had contributed to bringing Correa to justice and had been critical of the socialist dictatorships in Cuba, Venezuela, Bolivia, and Nicaragua. Following Correa’s conviction and subsequent flight to Europe, Villavicencio became an anti-Correista figure.
Although an armed group calling themselves “Los Lobos” initially claimed responsibility for Villavicencio’s assassination in a video circulated on social media, doubts have emerged about their authenticity. In a second video, the group denied involvement in the murder, stating they had never targeted government officials or civilians.
The investigation into Villavicencio’s assassination has led to the arrest of six individuals. The identity of the true intellectual authors behind the crime remains uncertain.
[Insert Image Caption: General view of the hospital where presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio was taken after being shot at a rally in Quito, on August 9, 2023.]
Source: Europa Press