A candidate in Ecuador’s upcoming presidential election has been shot dead.

Fernando Villavicencio, a member of the country’s national assembly, was attacked after an event in the northern city of Quito on Wednesday.

A member of his campaign team told local media Villavicencio was about to get into a car when a man stepped forward and shot him in the head.

The death was confirmed on social media by current president Guillermo Lasso.

The presidential election is scheduled to take place on 20 August.