7 Suspects in Killing of Ecuador Presidential Candidate Found Dead in Prison, Prompting Ouster of Police and Prison Chiefs

Seven suspects in the assassination of an Ecuadorian presidential candidate, Fernando Villavicencio, were found dead in the prisons where they were being held. The suspects, who were Colombian nationals with alleged links to organized crime groups, had requested to be moved to a safer prison but were denied. The causes of their deaths are unclear, but Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso described them as "violent deaths." The deaths threaten to hamper the FBI-supported investigation into Villavicencio's assassination. In response, Lasso removed the director of the country's prison authority and the head of investigation for the national police, and ordered the transfer of the remaining suspects to ensure their safety.