Five years ago, the words Fernando Villavicencio shouted into a microphone at a campaign rally, just moments before he died in a hail of bullets, could have been dismissed as an exaggeration, a rhetorical flourish.
But on Wednesday, they proved all too prophetic. Villavicencio, a candidate in the upcoming presidential election, was gunned down as he left the rally in the capital, Quito.
His assassination is not an isolated incident.
A mayor shot as he was inspecting public works, bodies strung from bridges, gang leaders publishing videos in which they threaten to kill politicians unless they do their bidding – a seemingly endless litany of violence has dominated the headlines in this country previously known for its safety.
In 2018, the murder rate stood at 5.8 per 100,000 inhabitants. A majority of its population told a Gallup poll they felt safe walking alone at night.
By 2022, Ecuador’s homicide rate had more than quadrupled and Ecuadoreans’ perception of safety had plummeted, along with their confidence in police to keep them secure.
It is safe to assume that, were a poll to be conducted now, the percentage of those who feel safe would be even lower.
How did Ecuador, a country which until so recently was considered a safe oasis for tourists and locals alike, become a nation where democratically elected politicians are gunned down?
Source: bbc.com
