Five Sentenced in Ecuador Candidate's Murder

An Ecuadorian court sentenced five individuals for the 2023 murder of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio, with sentences ranging from 12 to 34 years. The two main orchestrators, Carlos Edwin Angulo Lara and Laura Dayanara Castillo, received 34 years and eight months each, while three accomplices received 12 years. Angulo, known as 'El Invisible,' ordered the hit from prison, and Castillo handled the logistics. Villavicencio, a journalist and anti-corruption activist, was shot after leaving a rally, highlighting Ecuador's rising violence and criminal gang activity. Separate investigations are ongoing to determine who commissioned the murder. Villavicencio's family and friends continue to seek full justice for his death.