Ecuadorian Fishermen Report US Military Encounters in Pacific
A surge in reported incidents between US forces and Ecuadorian fishing vessels highlights the escalating tensions in the Pacific as Washington expands its anti-drug operations.
Jose Hernan Flores, a fisherman from San Mateo on Ecuador’s Pacific coast, described a chaotic encounter at sea in March that left him and his crew stranded and his vessel destroyed. According to Flores, military-style drones appeared suddenly above his boat, La Negra Francisca Duarte II, before explosions occurred on deck. Two crew members were injured, and the vessel caught fire, forcing the team to abandon ship onto smaller skiffs used for auxiliary fishing tasks.
Flores stated that when he approached what he initially believed to be a nearby tuna vessel for assistance, he discovered the occupants were uniformed US soldiers. He reported that the men handcuffed and blindfolded the fishermen before treating the injured and handing them over to a Salvadoran navy unit. The crew remained at sea for approximately one week before being brought ashore and subsequently deported back to Ecuador. Flores noted that his boat, valued at roughly $400,000, was completely lost, leaving him still responsible for the associated loan payments.
Escalating maritime security measures
While the US military has denied direct responsibility for the sinking of Flores’s boat, Al Jazeera English reports that the administration has adopted an increasingly aggressive stance against what it characterizes as maritime drug trafficking. Since the beginning of President Donald Trump’s second term, the Pentagon has executed dozens of strikes on small vessels in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean regions. Many of these actions have been lethal, a move the administration argues is necessary to combat narco-terrorism.
Fishermen in the region contend that they are coming under fire without discernible cause, despite the US framing these operations as targeted counter-narcotics efforts. The geopolitical context is significant, as Ecuador sits between the two largest coca-growing regions in the world, Colombia and Peru. This location has made the country a critical transit point for cocaine, elevating its importance in Washington’s broader strategy against trafficking organizations.
Diplomatic pressure and regional alliances
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently toured Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru to bolster support for the campaign against criminal groups in the region. During his visit to Quito, Rubio announced that the administration would seek $45 million in additional security funding for Ecuador and provide further military equipment to President Daniel Noboa’s government. He emphasized that the targets were not merely criminal organizations but terrorist entities, aiming to justify the deployment of elite US forces working alongside local authorities.
Community concerns over missing personnel
Despite the diplomatic assurances, local communities in Ecuador are growing increasingly concerned about the impact of close military cooperation with the United States. In the fishing village of Santa Marianita, dozens of residents gathered on the coast earlier this month to demand justice for fishermen who have been attacked or disappeared. Families like that of Lourdes Mero, whose husband and son have been missing for months, are seeking clarity on their fates as the conflict between state forces and maritime actors intensifies.
The situation remains fluid, with both sides presenting conflicting narratives about the nature of these maritime encounters. Observers will likely watch for further diplomatic statements from Quito and Washington, as well as any independent investigations into the specific incidents reported by crews in the Pacific. The balance between national security objectives and the safety of civilian livelihoods in the region appears to be a focal point for upcoming policy decisions.
