STORY: UN denounces assassination of Ecuadorian presidential contender
DATELINE: Aug. 11, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:11
LOCATION: UN Headquarters
CATEGORY: POLITICS
 
SHOTLIST:
1. various of the press briefing
2. SOUNDBITE (English): FARHAN HAQ, Deputy spokesperson for UN Secretary-General
3. various of journalists
4. various of press briefing
 
STORYLINE:
 
The United Nations on Thursday expressed severe condemnation following the murder of a candidate for the presidency in Ecuador, calling on the local law enforcement to launch a thorough probe into the incident.
 
As per media accounts, 59-year-old Fernando Villavicencio was tragically gunned down after his participation in a political rally in Quito, the nation's capital, on Wednesday evening.
 
While addressing the media in New York, Farhan Haq, the secretary-general's deputy spokesman, conveyed the sentiments of the UN Country Team.
 
SOUNDBITE (English): FARHAN HAQ, Deputy spokesperson for UN Secretary-General
"The UN system in Ecuador, led by Resident Coordinator Lena Savelli, has strongly condemned the attack against presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio.
The country team has called for an investigation of this crime, so that there is no sense of impunity, and to redouble efforts to stop this wave of violence that is sadly affecting all the country's population.
The country team added that these events are an aggression against the democratic system in Ecuador, and they sent their sincere condolences to the friends and family of Fernando Villavicencio.
The High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, also condemned the killing. He urged the authorities to increase their efforts to strengthen protection measures for political candidates, public officers and journalists, and to protect people's lives and personal integrity in line with international human rights standards to avoid the repetition of such a tragic crime."
 
Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from UN Headquarters.
(XHTV)