QUITO, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- Two candidates in Ecuador's local elections scheduled for Nov. 29 were shot dead in an armed attack on Monday night in Huaquillas in the southern coastal province of El Oro, which also claimed the life of a woman, local media reported Tuesday, citing National Police reports.
The victims were identified as Ronald Farfan, a former mayor of Huaquillas who was seeking to reclaim the post, and Cristhian Rugel, a candidate for city councilor in the same canton.
According to the National Police, the attack occurred in the Los Israelitas neighborhood, where both candidates were attending a political gathering with supporters ahead of the elections.
Police are investigating several possible motives for the attack, including threats and extortion by criminal groups.
According to official figures cited by local media, El Oro has recorded nearly 1,000 homicides so far in 2026, about 50 percent more than in the same period last year.
Ecuadorians will vote on Nov. 29 to elect provincial prefects and vice-prefects, mayors, urban and rural city councilors, as well as members of rural parish boards. ■
