- By Katy Watson
- BBC Information, Quito
Otto Sonnenholzner is an economist who served as vice-president between 2018 and 2020
A candidate in Sunday’s presidential election in violence-hit Ecuador has known as for an investigation after taking pictures erupted close to a restaurant the place he was having breakfast.
Otto Sonnenholzner, a conservative politician, was together with his household and supporters when photographs rang out.
He isn’t believed to have been the goal. However the marketing campaign has been marred by a surge in gang assaults.
The incident involving Mr Sonnenholzner, 40, occurred on Saturday in Guayaquil, Ecuador’s largest metropolis.
A video posted on social media reveals the former-vice president speaking to supporters within the restaurant earlier than photographs are heard, sowing panic. Native journalists mentioned there was theft within the neighborhood.
Afterwards, Mr Sonnenholzner tweeted: “Thank God we’re all positive however we demand an investigation into what occurred… We will not go on like this.”
Whereas no different presidential candidate has been straight focused since Mr Villavicencio’s homicide in Quito, shootouts like this serve to reveal simply how harmful Ecuador has turn into.
They’re, sadly, a part of on a regular basis life, particularly in cities like Guayaquil which has been overrun by drug-traffickers.
Candidates are keen to spotlight these risks forward of the vote.
The taking pictures of Fernando Villavicencio upended campaigning, with candidates now very a lot specializing in peace and safety – as a result of that’s what each Ecuadorean needs to be reassured about.
Bulletproof vests are additionally making extra of an look on the marketing campaign path – and lots of candidates dialled down their closing marketing campaign occasions, with many Ecuadoreans exercising an enormous quantity of warning forward of the elections.
There may be actual worry of extra violence to return as folks get able to vote.
Mr Villavicencio was an outspoken journalist who had uncovered corruption and denounced hyperlinks between organised crime and officers.
Six males have been arrested in connection together with his assassination, all of them Colombian residents.
In one other improvement on Saturday, the mayor of the coastal city of La Libertad mentioned he had been the goal of an assassination try.
Mayor Francisco Tamariz mentioned gunmen had fired 30 photographs at his car on Friday night time, however he escaped unhurt.
Fernando Villavicencio was shot as he left a rally in Quito
