A “Plan Ecuador” is Needed: U.S. Assistance Should Draw Lessons from the Past
War on the RocksFeb 02
Ecuador: Jailed Gang Leader Accused of Villavicencio's Murder
The Facts
Ecuadorian prosecutors investigating the killing of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio, which occurred days before the first round of voting last August, have alleged that the crime was planned and ordered from jail.
Los Lobos gang faction leader Carlos Edwin Angulo Lara, alias "The Invisible," is said to have given the order to kill Villavicencio from inside the CRS Cotopaxi jail, while Laura Dayanara Castillo — also a faction leader in the gang — allegedly handled the logistics.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The high-profile assassination of Fernando Villavicencio wasn't an isolated incident in violence-ridden Ecuador, as gangs have killed many popular figures — from officials and politicians to athletes, artists, and prominent drug lords. As Quito has sought to curb the rising crime and corruption once and for all with a state of emergency, American support may prove to be crucial.
Establishment-critical narrative
One must be disturbingly naive at best to believe that further US interference is what Ecuador needs after the killing of a presidential candidate who had long been a CIA asset. Though Villavicencio fabricated lies to boost the Russiagate invention and resolutely obstructed the impeachment of US-backed Guillermo Lasso, his candidacy had turned him into a dangerous liability for the Agency.
Nerd narrative
There's a 70% chance that a new or extended state of emergency will be declared in Ecuador before April 1, 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.