The men with guns hid in a house in Quito. They were all Colombians, police said.
Ecuador has arrested six Colombian citizens on suspicion of murdering presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio. It was reported on August 11 by the Associated Press.
They were imprisoned in the capital, Quito. Police seized four shotguns, a 5.56mm rifle, ammunition and three grenades, as well as a car and a motorcycle.
Ecuadorian Interior Minister Juan Zapata called the assassination a “political crime of a terrorist nature” aimed at sabotaging the August 20 presidential election.
Without going into details, he said those arrested were connected to organized crime.
It will be recalled that the 59-year-old Villavicencio, known for his speeches against drug cartels and corruption, was killed during a rally in Quito on August 9, less than two weeks before the early presidential elections.
Outgoing Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso declared three days of mourning and a 60-day state of emergency. The military is moving to provide security during the polls, he said.
Source: korrespondent
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