Assassins not included!

Prosecutors in Ecuador have now officially charged six people, (assassins not included) with the murder of Presidential Candidate Fernando Villavicencio last August.

"The Prosecutor's Office of Ecuador recently conducted the preparatory trial hearing for the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio. Success on the fourth attempt to bring proceedings into court after the first three were delayed for various motives, including the unexpected change of defense attorneys for the accused.

The proceedings revealed the alleged orchestrators of the murder and the meticulous planning that unfolded was conducted from within one of the country's prisons.

Tragically, Villavicencio was gunned down after an electoral rally in Quito, on August 9, 2023, merely eleven days before the first round of the extraordinary general elections.https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/michael-w-895475237_fernandovillavicencio-rafaelcorreas-luisagonzalez-activity-7096874357750165504-fRPD?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Without a doubt, his murder changed the course of the election, as blame was falsely shifted to other candidates not involved, leading to the rank outsider taking center stage. Daniel Naboa became the youngest President and also a President with no prior political career, to mention.

Villavicencios' death marked an alarming escalation in the ongoing wave of violence plaguing Ecuador for the past three years, driven by organized crime and drug trafficking cartels/mafias, leading to one of the highest homicide rates in Latin America, reaching 45 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023 nationally, and 180+ in areas directly related to drug trafficking. The murder rate rose once more when Naboa threatened to take back control of the streets and especially the prisons. Which in turn led to various prison breaks with hundreds of dangerous criminals returning to the streets!

The Prosecutor's Office points to Latacunga prison, (which I know well having taught prison guards there on numerous occasions) situated about 70 kilometers south of Quito, as the origin of the order to kill Villavicencio.

This facility, once completely controlled by the 'Los Lobos,' gang, through violence and bribery, and for the last six weeks by having kidnapped prison guards and outside workers, was recently reclaimed by the Armed Forces, who have now taken control of corrections duties whilst new directors are found. The old guard is being investigated for corruption in several ongoing court cases.

'Los Lobos', (the second largest gand in Ecuador, behind the 'Choneros') and 21 other criminal gangs have been classified as terrorist groups, in a bid to combat organized crime, and in doing so giving the military power over many public order and civil control duties.

The alleged mastermind behind Villavicencio's murder, identified as Carlos Edwin Angulo L. or 'El Invisible,' is an inmate at Latacunga. Authorities consider him the leader of 'Los Invisibles,' a faction within 'Los Lobos.' Additionally, six individuals are accused, alongside him as material authors, who organized the physical act whilst interacting with seven Colombians, as hired hitmen for this job.

The actual shooters will not be present at any trials as the eight are already dead. One was killed by police in rather bizarre circumstances, you may remember from previous posts, and seven more 'apparently' committed suicide, by hanging themselves, in what a synchronized event, whilst remanded and awaiting trial, in various gang-controlled prisons. Only days after a reward was offered by the FBI for the name of the mastermind behind Fernando Villavicencios' murder!

"EL Invisible" had a high-speed internet connection installed directly to his luxury (Suite) cell, by outside contractors, paying $560 a month for line rental! And used his smartphone, the call logs are included in the court papers, to organize the assassination from the comfort of his cell, talking, sometimes directly to the shooter.

Villavicencio had reported death threats before his assassination, allegedly linked to the leader of 'Los Choneros,' José Adolfo Macías 'Fito,' whose escape from prison is what indirectly set off the chain of events leading to the "state of emergency" that Ecuador is currently living under. Directly after the shooting, fake videos emulating the 'Choneros' claiming the action as their own were quickly debunked. It appears now that it was 'Los Lobos imitating 'Los Choneros' to pass blame or just to muddy the waters.

It may be clear to the prosecutor that "El Invisible" made the calls, but what has not yet come to light is who was pulling his strings.

Merchandising for the event that Villavicencio was attending at the time of his murder, was delivered to the assassins (scicarios) prior to the event so that they could blend in more easily with the crowds of adoring fans and get closer to their target.

It is also now clear that Villavicencio's security detail had been manipulated with last-minute telephone messages changing protocols, repositioning active duty members and police, and indeed changing routes as well as drop-off and pick-up points for the VIP. Meaning, that his immediate CP team came out of a door they had not planned, to get into a car, (not their usual armoured vehicle, which was waiting at another exit point) they had not planned to, surrounded by a crowd they had planned to avoid, and without the special police unit quick response team waiting, as they had recently been diverted away to a "more important incident".

The security team he had, has always performed to high standards in the past and was on high alert at the time of the shooting, however, it appears that some kind of "outside interference" changed the SOPs just at a critical moment. That doesn't sit well, considering the consequences of those actions.

So, Fernando Villavicencio was murdered, supposedly because he had threatened to increase jail sentences and reform the jails and the corrections system as a whole, something the leader of the Lobos, as a long-term in-mate was not happy with. It is plausible, at the very limits of truth being stranger than fiction! People have been killed for less, but never in such a high-profile manner, I would wager.

Some of his other planned changes in Ecuador had much farther-reaching effects. Increased taxation for the ruling classes. Changes to the currupt, judicial system, the public shaming of corrupt police chiefs and ministers. No amnesty for political crimes of corruption and robbery from the taxpayers. The list goes an and all with much further reaching effects on important and powerful, movers and shakers.

There is still much to learn from the whole process. I wonder if we will ever find out the truth?

Having worked in diplomatic security private and public in both Ecuador and Colombia and having many "boots on the ground" in both these countries amongst others. If I can be of help to you in the planning or deployment stages of any trips into Latin America please feel free to reach out in confidence.

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