Ecuador Political Violence Continues as Local Political Leader Is Killed

Once one of South America's most peaceful countries, Ecuador is spiraling into political violence as the presidential elections draw near. This time, a political leader was killed in the northern province of Esmeraldas.

Pedro Briones was a local leader for the opposition party, Revolución Ciudadana. This was also the party of former President Rafael Correa, which also includes current presidential election candidate and frontrunner Luisa Gonzalez. He was shot to death last Monday, though details of his killing have not yet been released.

Following Briones' death, Gonzalez tweeted, "Ecuador is experiencing its bloodiest era."

The presidential frontrunner then added, "A heartfelt hug to the family of colleague Pedro Briones, fallen by the hands of violence."

According to the Associated Press, Briones was a local political leader in a rural area of San Mateo de Esmeraldas. He is now the third person killed in a politically-connected attack in Ecuador, with the most well-known being presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio, who was blasting local drug gangs that have been aided by Mexican drug cartels.

Gonzalez, whom Briones had been supporting, stated that after Villavicencio's assassination, she revamped her security but told the Associated Press that she continued to refuse to wear a bulletproof vest.

"I have faith in God; he is the one who takes care of us," she told the outlet.

Gonzalez had been a tough critic of President Guillermo Lasso, claiming that the government lacked control inside detention facilities as the killing of her election rival may have been engineered by an imprisoned gang leader. She promised that should she become president, she will clean up the police force and increase control along the border.

Ecuador Dealing With More Than Just Political Violence

Ecuador used to be just a place where drugs passed through as shipments make their way from Colombia to Mexico. Now, local drug gangs are working with Mexican drug cartels and are fighting one another in battles for control over trafficking routes to Mexico, the US, and Europe.

The political violence in Ecuador as the election approaches already adds to the growing drug violence in the country. In addition to the killings of Villavicencio and Briones, Manta City Mayor Agustin Intrigo was also killed. He was shot last July 26, a few months after being re-elected in local elections last May.

However, The Guardian pointed out that violence in the country is indeed rising, as thousands of people have been killed in the country over the last three years. Many of the deaths came from fatal clashes between local gangs as they try to gain control of territories crucial to their trafficking operations.

Assassinated Ecuador Presidential Candidate's Running Mate Speaks Out

Fernando Villavicencio's successor and former running mate, Andrea Gonzalez Nader, recently sat down with CNN and told the network, "You never have enough time to process something so shocking and so sobering as the assassination of a presidential candidate (on) such a level of violence and so soon - so close to the presidential elections."

She will now be stepping into her late running mate's shoes and is now running for the presidency.

"This is a disturbing moment for the whole region and for the world's democracy," Nader admitted.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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