It was not the debate of those present, the absences. The first, that of Fernando Villavicenciothe anti-corruption journalistmurdered last week by hitmen, whose dialectical expertise gave away the best moments in two years of the last National Assembly, reviled by the country. And the second, that of Christian Zuritahis friend, also an investigative journalist, pushed by circumstances to assume the candidacy of the Construye Movement, in tandem with the environmentalist Andrea González.
He National Electoral Council (CNE) has not yet accepted the new electoral ticket, so Zurita could not participate in the televised duel, although he made an appearance, with the same style as his “brother“, as he defined Villavicencio. “After watching the presidential debate, I came to the conclusion that the CNE continues the task of the hit men: silencing Fernando Villavicencio,” shot Zurita, who is starting the final sprint strong that will lead to the opening of polls next Sunday.The organizers left an empty place on the stage.
“It is unfair that Villavicencio has not been represented in the debate. This crime is not going to go unpunished. We have to know every last detail of what happened with him, with Augustine Intriago (popular mayor of Manta, assassinated in July), Rider Sánchez (candidates for assembly member also murdered) and the more than 4,000 victims of violent deaths so far this year,” said Otto Sonnenholzner, former vice president of Lenín Moreno and who disputed the same ideological space as the anti-corruption journalist.
“Here we are missing the candidate who was assassinated because he bravely faced corruption. That being brave is not so expensive, that being a coward is not worth it,” said Xavier Hervás, one of the great surprises of the 2021 elections. which still does not seem to have started in the current ones, which will elect the president and the parliamentarians who will finish the current legislature within two years.
Before the attack on Thursday took place, Sonnenholzner occupied the second place in the poll averagein a hard fight with the indigenous candidate, Yaku Perez, and Villavicencio himself. Behind, the main defender of the heavy hand, the populist Jan Topic. And below the rest, headed by Hervás.