✅ Estados Unidos pone al FBI a disposición de Ecuador para esclarecer el asesinato de Villavicencio.

The President of Ecuador, Guillermo Lasso, requested assistance on Thursday from the United States government to clarify the events surrounding the cold-blooded murder of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio, a request that has already received a positive response from the Biden Administration.

«I have requested support from the FBI for the investigation of the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio Valencia,» Lasso announced on the social network X.

The Ecuadorian leader, who changed his profile picture to a black ribbon mourning symbol, added that a delegation from the US agency will arrive in the South American country «in the next few hours».

The White House had already condemned the event as «a brazen act of violence and aggression against Ecuadorian democracy.»

«Obviously, we expect there to be a thorough – thorough and transparent – investigation into this and that the perpetrators be held accountable properly,» said John Kirby, spokesperson for the National Security Council of President Joe Biden’s administration.

The Deputy Secretary of State for Latin America, Brian Nichols, also offered the support of the United States in what he called for a «quick and thorough investigation by the competent authorities.»

The shooting murder of Fernando Villavicencio as he left a campaign event on Wednesday evening shocked Ecuador and the world, and evidenced the current climate of insecurity and violence that the South American country is experiencing, just over a week before the presidential elections.

The death of Villavicencio, a champion of the fight against corruption and known for his statements against criminal gangs and drug trafficking, was initially attributed to a criminal organization called Los Lobos, which has not been officially confirmed yet.

[With the collaboration of Jorge Agobian, VOA correspondent in Washington]

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