Four charged in Fernando Villavicencio assassination

Four men have been charged with masterminding the assassination of former presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio. On Monday, the Attorney General’s office ordered Ronny Aleaga, Xavier Jordán, José Serrano and Daniel Salcedo to appear at a court arraignment at a date to be determined.

Fernando Villavicencio

Of the four, only Salcedo is certain to appear. He is currently imprisoned in Quito for a hospital fraud conviction. The whereabouts of Aleaga, a former Correista National Assemblyman, is unknown. Jordán, under investigated in two other cases, is believed to be living in the U.S., while former Interior Minister José Serrano is currently being held on undisclosed charges at an immigration detention center in Miami.

Villavicencio was killed August 9, 2023 by a team of Colombian hitmen while he was campaigning in Quito. One shooter was killed at the scene while seven others were murdered in prison.

Prosecutors said the charges were filed following an “exhaustive investigation” involving former high-ranking government officials with ties to criminal organizations. “The Attorney General’s office reaffirms its commitment to prosecute criminals no matter who they are, no matter their rank,” an official statement read. “We will prosecute this case forcefully and fully intend to get convictions.”

The case has been code-named “Magnicide F. V. by the Attorney General’s office.

Villavicencio’s family, which had criticized delays in the investigation, expressed relief that the case was finally coming to trial.

In a three-minute video message, Amanda Villavicencio, Fernando’s daughter, welcomed the news but said “there is still a long way to go” to achieve justice. “The charges against the masterminds of our father’s murder is just the first step,” she said, adding that other participants in the plot will be revealed as the case proceeds.

Her statement continued: “Javier Jordán, Ronny Aleaga, Daniel Salcedo and José Serrano and their associates sought to assassinate Fernando Villavicencio’s memory and his reputation over and over again. Even after his murder, they have continued to threaten and discredit our family through communication machinery financed by corruption inside and outside of the government.”

According to Salcedo, Villavicencio’s murder was paid for by money from corrupt hospital transactions. Salcedo claims that operatives of a criminal network that controlled public hospital purchases throughout the country were angered by Villavicencio’s probes into their operation. “I know this because I was part of that group. They wanted him dead and now they want me dead for talking about it,” Salcedo said, adding he will reveal “much, much more information” at trial.

Salcedo, who was convicted of defrauding hospitals during the Covid-19 pandemic, escaped an attempt on his life in July at a Quito prison during which his brother was injured.