Party of assassinated Ecuador presidential candidate taps a new replacement
- Villavicencio’s Build party said it would opt for Christian Zurita to replace the murdered 59-year-old, reversing itself from its choice of Andrea Gonzalez just a day earlier
- Fernando Villavicencio was shot dead in the capital Quito last week after leaving a campaign event
The political party of Ecuador’s assassinated presidential hopeful, Fernando Villavicencio, on Sunday picked another replacement candidate, reversing itself from its choice just a day earlier.
Villavicencio’s Build party, or Construye in Spanish, told reporters at a press conference in the capital it would now opt for Christian Zurita to replace the murdered 59-year-old in the August 20 vote.
On Saturday, the party said its stand-in candidate would be Andrea Gonzalez, an environmental activist who was originally Villavicencio’s vice presidential candidate. Party leaders said she will still run for that post.
Zurita is also a journalist who in the past collaborated with Villavicencio. His candidacy must still be approved by the national electoral council.
“We’re going to try to emulate his abilities and we’re going to try to emulate his name,” Zurita said at a press conference, referring to Villavicencio, while wearing a bulletproof vest.
He added he will not negotiate with “any mafia.”
