US claims it is not responsible for strikes on Ecuadorian fishing boats
Three vessels have been attacked in the eastern Pacific in recent months and the crews believe the US was to blame
TL;DR
- Captain Hernán Flores reported his fishing boat, the Negra Francisca Duarte, was struck by an exploding drone near the Galápagos Islands, injuring his nephew.
- Flores and his crew were subsequently apprehended by individuals they identified as Americans, handcuffed, hooded, and taken aboard a patrol vessel before being transferred to Salvadorian custody.
- US military and Coast Guard spokespersons deny involvement in these incidents, stating no US forces were part of operations targeting Ecuadorian fishing vessels.
- US Representatives Joaquin Castro and Bill Keating have written to senior administration officials, questioning the truthfulness of Pentagon denials and demanding information about three separate incidents in the eastern Pacific.
- The incidents include the disappearance of the Fiorella, the attack on the Negra Francisca Duarte II, and the detention and sinking of the Don Maca, with survivors reporting being handcuffed and hooded by American patrol boats.
- Human rights organizations are investigating the alleged interactions between US vessels and fishing boats in the region.
- The US has been increasing military engagement with Ecuador, but Ecuadorians rejected the expansion of US military bases in a November vote.