Ecuador to Elect New President Weeks After Candidate Assassinated

Summary:

• Ecuador's presidential election takes place amid increased violence and the assassination of candidate Fernando Villavicencio.
• Experts note a rise in violence in Ecuador, with comparisons drawn to Colombia's past drug wars.
• The political landscape includes a replacement candidate, Christian Zurita, and frontrunner Luisa Gonzales.
• Security concerns loom large for voters as they cast their ballots.
• Despite challenges, some maintain hope for Ecuador's future.

Tomorrow, Ecuador holds its presidential election after a campaign marked by the assassination of a top candidate and mounting violence. CBS's Cristian Benavidez has more.

Presidential Hopefuls Campaign Amidst Violence

Wearing bulletproof vests and surrounded by armed national police, Ecuador's presidential hopefuls closed out their campaigns just days after the August 9th killing of candidate Fernando Villavicencio. On down while leaving a campaign rally, the former journalist was outspoken about the links between organized crime and government officials. Did that cost him his life? Certainly. And, you know, one of the most notorious and pre-essent things that he said, he always said it, is that it would cost him his life. Professor Eduardo Gamara is an expert on Latin America.

Rising Violence in Ecuador

He says Ecuador, long known as one of the most peaceful nations in South America, has become more violent, dangerous and deadly. Similar to Colombia during the height of the drug wars, where journalists, judges and even a presidential candidate, Luis Carlos Galán, were murdered. In Ecuador, what you have is this enormous presence of transnational organized crime. For such a small country to have such a concentration, it may, because it's so small, it may even be worse. On August 14th, another politician was assassinated in Ecuador. That means there have been three high-profile political-related killings. In less than four weeks.

Facing a Complex Political Landscape

Emilio Palacio is an exiled Ecuadorian journalist living in Miami. Villavicencio was his friend. It wasn't that he had a lot of enemies, he told me. It's that they were powerful. Christian Zurita, another journalist, has been named as Villavicencio's replacement. He faces off against seven other hopefuls. Among them, Luisa Gonzales, considered the frontrunner prior to the killing.

Security Concerns and Hope for the Future

Security is now the number one concern for Ecuadorians heading to the polls. You think there's still hope for Ecuador? Yo estoy convencido. I'm convinced of it, he told me. Cristian Benavidez, CBS News, Miami.

Ecuadorians head to the polls with security concerns amidst rising political violence.