Live news: Ecuadorean presidential candidate shot dead as violence escalates

Fernando Villavicencio, a presidential candidate in Ecuador, was shot dead on Wednesday evening as political violence continued to threaten the country’s upcoming election.

Villavicencio, a former lawmaker and journalist, was killed by gunmen during a campaign event at 6pm on Wednesday, local media reported.

Ecuador’s president Guillermo Lasso confirmed Villavicencio’s death on social media and announced an emergency cabinet security meeting to address the violence destabilising the country.

“For his memory and for his struggle, I assure you that this crime will not go unpunished,”Lasso said on Twitter. “Organised crime has come a long way, but the full weight of the law is going to fall on them.”