Ecuador presidential frontrunner dons bulletproof vest as election marked by violence

Ecuador presidential frontrunner dons bulletproof vest as election marked by violence

"It's sad" says Luisa Gonzalez, Ecuador's presidential frontrunner, "to run a political campaign where a candidate was assassinated".

As she speaks at a meeting with indigenous women, Gonzalez wears a bulletproof vest, having last week claiming to receive death threats.

In early August, another candidate, Fernando Villavicencio, was shot dead in Quito as he left a political rally.

Since then, Ecuador has seen violence mount as drug trafficking related crime spills onto the street.