People protect from the rain in downtown Quito on August 15, 2023. Next Sunday August 20, presidential elections will be held in Ecuador. (PHOTO / AFP)

QUITO — Over 100,000 officers, including police, military and technical staff, will provide security for Ecuador's early general elections scheduled for Aug 20, Interior Minister Juan Zapata announced Wednesday.

"The state's priority is to ensure the right of citizens to vote," he said in a joint press conference with authorities of the National Police and the National Electoral Council.

As part of the operation, President Guillermo Lasso authorized the Armed Forces to begin early control in precincts

Three command posts will monitor the voting precincts and provincial electoral delegations.

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Meanwhile, electoral council President Diana Atamaint affirmed that despite electoral campaign violence, such as the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio on Aug 9, authorities have worked to guarantee the lives of voters and safeguard the right of all to vote.

"Contingency and preventive measures have been prepared to reach the elections with absolute security and to guarantee that citizens go out to vote on a massive scale," she said.

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As part of the operation, President Guillermo Lasso authorized the Armed Forces to begin early control in precincts starting at 9:00 pm local time (0200 GMT) on Wednesday.