Ecuador's presidential candidates promise more security amid escalating violence

MADRID, 14 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The seven candidates for the Presidency of Ecuador have promised more security during a televised debate on Ecuador TV, in Quito, and whose headquarters have been protected by a strong police and military operation due to the increase in violence in the country.

During the debate, in which a minute's silence was observed for the assassinated candidate Fernando Villavicencio, and for whom his seat was saved, the issue of the growing insecurity in the country "between interruptions and complaints" was addressed, according to has published the newspaper 'Primicias'.

Right-wing businessman Jan Topic, a well-known supporter of the heavy-handed policies of Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, has promised a "strong hand" and the creation of a public company for the National Police.

Based on this, the Alianza Actuemos candidate, Otto Sonnenholzner, has accused Topic of a conflict of interest for owning a radar company, to which the businessman has responded that this was "in the past."

For her part, the correísta Luisa González of Revolución Ciudadana has criticized the management of the country's president, Guillermo Lasso, and has assured that he will return to the formula of former president Rafael Correa, according to the Ecuavisa chain.

Bolívar Armijos, candidate for Amigo, has expressed the need to send the most dangerous prisoners to specialized prisons, since he has assured that the orders to commit crimes come from the prisons themselves.

Daniel Noboa Azín-Verónica Abad, from Acción Democrática Nacional (ADN), has promised to create a state agency that articulates the military, police and state arms to centralize the country's security plans.

The indigenista Yaku Pérez-Nory Pinela, from the left-wing alliance Claro Que Se Puede, has spoken about the need to restore confidence and to give guarantees to judges to avoid threats against them.

For his part, Xavier Hervas, has stressed the importance of port control, in which he promises to implement systems to monitor cargo.

The debate has taken place in view of the elections on August 20, for which the Construye Movement, previously led by Villavicencio, has chosen the journalist Christian Zurita as the country's presidential candidate.