The target, it was actually an armed robbery at a sports store nearby and five were detained. officers confiscated two firearms, sports merchandise, and cash. the attack was so close to the restaurant it rattled not only the candidate and his family but everybody there. the shooting happened only ten days after fernando villavicencio, the outspoken anti-corruption candidate and former investigative journalist, was gunned down after a rally in quito, also a day before the ecuadorans head for the polls in the first round of presidential voting. the family of villavicencio, the murdered candidate, has fighted a legal complaint against the government. they accuse the state of murder by willful omission for failing to protect the life of fernando villavicencio, knowing he had received threats from criminal groups. the assassination and the spate of violent attacks against elected officials and candidates