Six Colombian nationals have been arrested in connection with the assassination of Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio, according to Ecuador's interior minister, Juan Zapata.

The suspects were apprehended during a police raid in Quito, where officers also discovered a cache of weapons, including firearms, grenades, and ammunition, as well as a stolen vehicle and a motorcycle.

Mr. Villavicencio, a vocal critic of corruption in government, was shot and killed outside a campaign event in the capital city. The assassination has raised concerns about the country's escalating violence, fueled by drug trafficking and organized crime.

Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso has labeled the incident as an attempt to sabotage the upcoming election, which is scheduled to proceed despite the state of emergency declared in the country.

The president has requested assistance from US federal agents, including FBI agents, in the investigation. Ecuador's political landscape has become increasingly dangerous, with this assassination marking the first killing of a presidential candidate in the country's history.