Ecuador’s Corruption and Violence Nexus: Ex-Minister José Serrano Faces Preventive Detention in Villavicencio Assassination Probe

In a dramatic development underscoring the deep challenges facing Latin America’s fight against political corruption and violence, Ecuador’s Prosecutor’s Office has formally requested preventive detention for former minister José Serrano and three others connected to the brutal assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio in 2023. This case exposes more than a political murder; it unmasks a corrosive alliance between corrupt officials, criminal networks, and judicial impunity that threatens regional stability and reverberates beyond Ecuador’s borders. For Americans advocating national sovereignty and security, it is a stark reminder that leftist political machinery—exemplified by Rafael Correa’s inner circle—can destabilize democracies and jeopardize...