Ecuador presidential hopefuls close campaign clouded by violence

Christian Zurita, who is replacing slain presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio, and vice presidential candidate Andrea Gonzalez gesture after a news conference, in Guayaquil, Ecuador August 16, 2023. REUTERS/Vicente Gaibor del Pino

QUITO (Reuters) - Candidates vying to be Ecuador's next president held closing campaign events on Thursday, ahead of voting over the weekend in a contest clouded by the murder of anti-corruption candidate Fernando Villavicencio.

More than 13 million Ecuadoreans are eligible to head to polls on Sunday to elect a replacement for conservative President Guillermo Lasso, who called early elections to halt an impeachment process against him.