The mayor of an Ecuadorian city revealed that he had narrowly escaped an assassination attempt, a mere day before the nation’s general elections were scheduled to take place.
Francisco Tamariz, holding the position of mayor in the coastal town of La Libertad, recounted that he emerged unscathed from an attack on Friday evening. During the incident, assailants fired a total of 30 shots at his vehicle.
In a post on X, the platform previously known as Twitter, Tamariz expressed, “An effort was made to end my life,” and he added that over eight individuals had been present to witness the gunfire.
Ecuador is poised to conduct a presidential election on Sunday, following a campaign that was marred by the assassination of a prominent candidate and promises to address the rampant lawlessness gripping the nation.
Over recent years, this small South American country has transformed into a target for international drug cartels seeking to transport cocaine from its coasts, leading to a violent conflict between local gangs.
The rate of murders has surpassed even those of Mexico and Colombia. Moreover, the killings of several politicians in the lead-up to the election serve as a stark reminder of the difficulties confronting Ecuador’s leadership.
Among these incidents, the most notable was the murder of presidential candidate and advocate against corruption, Fernando Villavicencio. He was shot and killed in broad daylight while leaving a political gathering just a few days before the election.
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