Wife of Assassinated Presidential Candidate Questions Security Measures and Calls for Justice

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Headline: Widow of Assassinated Ecuadorian Presidential Candidate Demands Answers on Security Failures

Subtitle: Verónica Sarauz questions the security provided to her late husband in a candid interview with Colombian outlet NTN24

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Verónica Sarauz, the wife of the late presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio, who was tragically assassinated on August 9 after leaving a rally in the city of Quito, has offered a revealing interview with Colombian outlet NTN24. In the interview, she raises serious concerns about the security measures provided to her husband.

Sarauz, speaking from an airport in Panama where she awaits a flight back to Quito, expressed her disappointment over the security arrangements leading up to Villavicencio’s assassination. “My husband had a report indicating a 97% risk to his life. Fernando had been wearing a bulletproof vest and was traveling in an armored car. However, I fail to understand why security allowed him to stop wearing the vest in recent days, and why he was not in an armored car when he left the Anderson College Coliseum,” she passionately stated.

Amid the journalist’s vigil in Quito, Sarauz emphasized her urgency to see her husband’s body and uncover the truth about what transpired. She expressed her disbelief that a hitman could breach her husband’s security circle and ultimately end his life. “Fernando had security, and I cannot comprehend how someone could get so close and kill him,” she mournfully added.

Sarauz also commended the international aid offered by the Government of Guillermo Lasso to shed light on this brutal crime. “This is a political crime. They killed the candidate for the presidency of the Republic, who was already in the second round and poised to become the future president of Ecuador,” she voiced.

Furthermore, Sarauz accused the State, the National Police, and the custodians of negligence in Villavicencio’s death. “What we need to know now is who ordered his death. We have received threats from a drug trafficker currently imprisoned, and yet nothing has been done to prevent this tragic outcome we are experiencing today,” she asserted. The widow vowed that she would not rest until those responsible for the crime are held accountable.

Addressing the broader issue of violence in Ecuador, Sarauz partially blamed neighboring governments. “Drug traffickers have turned our country into a hotbed of organized crime, seizing control of several provinces of Ecuador,” she claimed. She criticized the presidents of neighboring countries, accusing them of turning a blind eye to the situation. She argued that as long as these governments allow criminals to operate in their territories, they show no concern for the recruitment of Ecuadorian youth into their criminal networks.

The widow’s call for justice and her demand for answers regarding the security lapses leading to her husband’s assassination highlight the need for thorough investigations and immediate action. Ecuador, still grappling with the loss of a prominent presidential candidate, must confront the pressing issue of organized crime and strengthen security measures to prevent further tragedies.