The election campaign in the once peaceful country was overshadowed by a wave of violence. Shortly before the first round of elections, presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio was shot after a campaign event in the capital Quito. A few days ago, seven suspects who were arrested after the attack were found dead in prison. Ecuador serves as a transit country for cocaine and crime syndicates fight for control of drug trafficking routes.
The country is also in a political crisis: early presidential elections were only necessary because conservative head of state Guillermo Lasso dissolved the National Assembly in the middle of the impeachment process against him for alleged embezzlement of funds.