(ZENIT News / Quito, 08.13.2023).-Made known on Sunday, August 13, was the designation of Christian Zurita to replace Fernando Villavicencio, the candidate of the Build Ecuador Movement, assassinated on August 9 in Quito, the Ecuadorian capital.
In a telegram, sent by Cardinal Pietro Parolin in the Pope’s name to the Archbishop of Quito, the Cardinal said:
HAVING RECEIVED THE SAD NEWS OF THE ASSASSINATION OF MISTER FERNANDO VILLAVICENCIO, THE HOLY FATHER WISHES TO SEND HIS PROFOUND CONDOLENCE TO YOUR EXCELLENCY, TO THE FAMILY OF THE DECEASED AND TO ALL THE BELOVED ECUADORIAN PEOPLE.
LIKEWISE, IN FACE OF THE SUFFERING CAUSED BY AN UNJUSTIFIABLE VIOLENCE, WHICH HE CONDEMNS WITH ALL HIS STRENGTH, HIS HOLINESS MAKES AN APPEAL TO ALL THE CITIZENS AND THE POLITICAL FORCES TO UNITE IN A COMMON EFFORT IN FAVOUR OF PEACE.
WITH THESE SENTIMENTS, POPE FRANCIS, AT THE SAME TIME THAT HE ENTRUSTS TO THE MATERNAL INTERCESSION OF OUR LADY OF QUINCHE THE ETERNAL REPOSE OF MISTER VILLAVICENCIO, IMPARTS AFFECTIONATELY THE APOSTOLIC BLESSING, AS SIGN OF FAITH AND HOPE IN CHRIST RISEN.
Candidate Villavicencio, of the political right, was leading in the electoral polls. The first indications point to an attack planned by drug-traffickers. Made public on Sunday, August 13, was the designation of Christian Zurita to replace the deceased in the electoral contest.
