The power to appoint a replacement belongs to the political group that registered the deceased candidate (which in this case is Fernando Villavicencio), as established by law; it is not the beginning of a new process; For his registration, the State Electoral Council (HNS) wants to apply the same deadlines as for registration in regular time, which will eliminate the candidacy, and all its members will sleep peacefully because they assume that they have complied with the regular deadlines of the law.

From now on, to eliminate a dangerous competitor, it will be enough to hire an assassin: crime will be sanctified as a political weapon, crime will be rewarded. And morally, we will become a hypocritical society: as much sympathy for murder, as many offers that they will not go unpunished.

The CNE assures that it supported the Construye movement for the application of Christian Zurita’s candidacy

The CNE must be aware that they are not a court; This is what the legislator wanted for many years; if they were, it would be made up of legal experts. Rather, they are a court of fact, a sort of jury that must seek justice before the cold application of the law.

In the presidential debate last Sunday, the candidates began with a minute’s silence in honor of the fallen man, but they did not deign to demand that the candidate who will replace Villavicencio, Christian Zurita, be invited to participate and announce his withdrawal if he was excluded.

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The central topic of discussion was security, and not once was the murder of Villavicencio mentioned. The day before, faced with the tragedy, most of them declared themselves united in the defense of democracy, they recognized the values ​​of the sacrifice: paper flowers in front of Villavicencio’s grave. If there is no formal threat to withdraw from the electoral contest if Zurita is not authorized, the CNE will let, unalterably, the deadlines run and the murder of Villavicencio go unpunished, and we will all think that in the depths of our souls, the other candidates have welcomed elimination of a competing candidate. We will continue to think so, unless they take a manly stance that forces the CNE to register Zurita. It is sad to see the president and members fumbling while giving explanations in a law that, with exceptions, is not their subject.

The discussion was partly useless, because there was no voice to condemn the corruption, Villavicencio was the most present in the public, but he was always accompanied by the award-winning journalist Zurita. Villavicencio ceased to be a candidate and became a symbol of the fight against corruption; Zurita is a worthy successor. On two occasions, in articles in EL UNIVERS, I defended this struggle, especially when public forces raided Villavicencio’s home at midnight and later when he was persecuted and sought refuge in the Amazon jungle.

The burning of Villavicencio and the debate changed the electoral landscape: now the fight is no longer for second place; Now the candidates for first and second place are already applying. But the election will be tainted if Zurita does not participate. The world will despise the chosen one if it is the result of a rewarding crime. (OR)