The leader of Ecuador’s leftist Revolución Ciudadana party, Pedro Briones, has been allegedly assassinated in Ecuador’s northwestern state of Esmeraldes, according to fellow presidential candidate Luisa González.
Paola Cabezas, the former governor of Esmeraldas, also claims that the presidential candidate was assassinated.
This comes less than a week after another candidate, Fernando Villavicencio, was similarly assassinated, and an attempted assassination attempt was narrowly avoided by parliamentary candidate Estefany Puente the next day.
Briones had previously claimed the assassination of Villavicencio was due to a “criminal mafia,” which runs rampant in Ecuador.
“We cannot deny that organized crime has permeated the state, political organizations, and society itself,” President Guillermo Lasso stated prior to the assassination.
President Lasso initiated a state of emergency in the country on August 10, which is set to last 60 days.
“Ecuador is living its bloodiest time. This is due to the total abandonment of an inept government and a state taken over by the mafia. My solidarity with the family of Comrade Pedro Briones, who has fallen into the hands of violence. Change is urgent!” Luisa González said in an X post.
Ecuador vive su época más sangrienta. Esto se lo debemos al abandono total de un gobierno inepto y a un Estado tomado por las mafias.
Mi abrazo solidario a la familia del compañero Pedro Briones, caído en manos de la violencia.
¡El cambio es urgente!— Luisa González (@LuisaGonzalezEc) August 14, 2023
Otra pérdida que nos parte el alma. Pedro Briones, dirigente de @RC5Esmeraldas en #SanMateo una bala asesina acabó con su vida.
¡Hasta cuándo! ?
Solidaridad con su familia.
Por ti compa querido, vamos a vencer ?? pic.twitter.com/fgrLPw5KiN— Paola Cabezas Castillo (@PaolaCabezasC) August 14, 2023
