Five people linked to one of Ecuador’s largest criminal gangs have been jailed for the murder of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio last year.
Mr. Villavicencio, a national assembly member and former journalist, was shot dead after leaving a campaign rally in Quito last August.
Carlos Angulo, the alleged leader of the Los Lobos gang, and Laura Castilla received sentences of 34 years and eight months for orchestrating the assassination.
Two men and a woman received 12-year sentences for assisting the hit squad in the attack.
Prosecutors claimed Angulo, known as “The Invisible,” ordered the hit from the Quito prison where he is detained. He denied the charges, claiming he was being scapegoated.
Castilla was responsible for logistics, allegedly supplying weapons, money, and motorcycles for the hit. Erick Ramirez, Victor Flores, and Alexandra Chimbo were accused of helping track Mr. Villavicencio’s movements.
Over 70 people testified during the trial, including a key witness who said the gang was offered over $200,000 (£154,000) to kill Mr. Villavicencio.
A crusading anti-corruption activist, Mr. Villavicencio was one of the few candidates to allege links between organized crime and government officials in Ecuador. Despite receiving death threats and a security detail, he continued to campaign and was gunned down on August 9 outside a school in north Quito.
Prosecutors revealed that one of the men involved was killed in a confrontation with police at the scene. Six other men, all Colombian nationals, were later arrested but found murdered at El Litoral prison, where they were held in pre-trial detention.
A separate investigation into who contracted Los Lobos for the hit is ongoing, according to prosecutors.
Mr. Villavicencio’s widow, Veronica Sarauz, welcomed the ruling but noted it was just the beginning of uncovering the full story behind her husband’s death.
Ecuador, once relatively safe and stable, has seen a surge in crime due to the increasing presence of Colombian and Mexican drug cartels infiltrating local gangs. The Los Lobos gang, led by Angulo, is said to have strong connections to Mexico’s powerful Jalisco New Generation cartel.
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