Ecuadorean presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio was assassinated Wednesday night in the nation's capital of Quito.

Villacencio, one of eight candidates seeking the presidency, was shot in front of a crowd near a campaign event.

What a tragedy. A great person.https://t.co/R8wgGEDdDshttps://t.co/A0zXNOl2JO

— Winston1999 (@WinstonV99) August 11, 2023

The murder

"The six men were captured hiding in a house in Quito, Ecuador’s capital, said the report, which was reviewed by The Associated Press. Officers also seized four shotguns, a 5.56-mm rifle, ammunition and three grenades, along with a vehicle and a motorcycle," the outlet reported.

"Fernando Villavicencio, 59, who was known for speaking up against drug cartels, was assassinated in Quito on Wednesday, less than two weeks before a special presidential election. He was not a front-runner, but his death deepened the sense of crisis around organized crime that has already claimed thousands of lives and underscored the challenge that Ecuador’s next leader will face," it continued.

Ecuador arrests six Colombians in connection with assassination of presidential candidate | Just The News https://t.co/QDXCV28iwU

— John Solomon (@jsolomonReports) August 11, 2023

The arrests

Six people were arrested in connection with the assassination shortly after the murder occurred.

"A high-ranking police official said the Colombians are part of a drug-trafficking criminal organization," the Wall Street Journal reported.

"He said some of the suspects had been arrested in the past in Ecuador and had also committed crimes in Colombia, where U.S. officials say the cocaine trade is flourishing," it added.

Ecuador Declares State of Emergency After Assassination of Anti-Corruption Presidential Candidatehttps://t.co/YgunmecEsE

— Voice of America (@VOANews) August 11, 2023

China connection

"Villavicencio was running a campaign heavily centered on combatting organized crime, eliminating political corruption, and limiting the influence of China on the South American country," Breitbart News reported.

"Among his promised first actions in office was the construction of a giant high-security prison for the upper ranks of Ecuador’s most prolific drug trafficking and other criminal gangs," it added.

"The Ecuadorian people are crying and Ecuador is mortally wounded," his campaign adviser said. "Politics cannot lead to the death of any member of society."

The nation remains under a state of emergency as the current president seeks to restore peace following the chaos related to the assassination.

With the nation's presidential election just two weeks away, the country now faces serious decisions about what to do as it deals with the tragic loss of one of its presidential candidates.