Ecuador's presidential candidates promised improvements in security during a debate, days after their fellow hopeful Fernando Villavicencio was assassinated leaving a campaign event
The killing of the 59-year-old in the closing days of the campaign has sent shockwaves through the South American country of 18 million people, where violent crime stoked by transnational gangs has risen sharply in recent years.
Luisa Gonzalez, who has led polling with about 30% of the vote, pledged a return to policies implemented by her mentor, former President Rafael Correa, who left office in 2017 and was later convicted of corruption. "We'll retake control of the 36 prisons and the northern and southern borders so that drug trafficking and illegal arms never come to our streets, equip and train our forces of order and integrate all the sources of intelligence," Topic said."We'll back public forces, when a criminal raises a firearm against a citizen they will know they will get the bullet that they deserve," Sonnenholzner said.
Though he officially registered his candidacy for the Aug. 20 vote on Sunday, he still must be approved by the national electoral authorities and could not participate in Sunday's debate.
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