U.S. Armed Forces personnel intercepted this Saturday a new vessel allegedly linked to drug trafficking in international waters near the coast of Ecuador. With this case, there are now four ships boarded by U.S. military in this same area in the last nine days.
The ship, identified as 'María Candelaria', was intervened about 270 nautical miles (around 500 kilometers) off the Ecuadorian coast, so the operation took place outside the maritime jurisdiction of the South American country.
U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) has detailed that the 'María Candelaria' was part of "a fuel resupply platform made up of several vessels" serving drug trafficking routes in the Pacific Ocean.
According to Washington, this logistical structure supported "the violent narco-terrorist organization Los Choneros," and the people traveling on the ship were made available to Ecuadorian authorities. After unloading its contents, the involved ships were sunk.
The Ecuadorian Ministry of Defense has confirmed this "new blow" against Los Choneros and has emphasized that "the recorded location would apparently correspond to international waters."
One of the crew members of the 'María Candelaria' live-streamed the boarding through social media. In the recording, he claims that they had set sail to fish three days earlier and reproaches that no radio warning was made before the assault.
The operation against the 'María Candelaria' adds to the destruction of three other Ecuadorian vessels in less than a week. SOUTHCOM has reported these actions, which it attributes to their alleged connection with criminal networks.
The first sinking took place on August 28, when the ship 'Tres Hermanos', based in Jaramijó, was destroyed. Later, on Wednesday, September 2, the 'Conquista II' was attacked and sunk, and on Thursday the 3rd, the 'OM 2' met the same fate, both registered in Manta. According to U.S. and Ecuadorian authorities, these last two also operated as floating fuel resupply stations. However, relatives of their crew members reject these accusations and maintain that there were no ties to criminal groups.
This same Saturday, a court in Manta has ordered the release of 28 detainees linked to 'Conquista II' and 'OM 2', considering that the judge believes there is not enough evidence to support their participation in criminal activities.
At the same time, another magistrate has requested the Government, and in particular the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to send an official communication to the Embassy of the United States in Ecuador to request details about the boarding, destruction, and sinking operations of Ecuadorian vessels in international waters, after the disappearance of eight people during these assaults was reported. Amnesty International has demanded that the actions of the United States be investigated, including these and two other interventions against Ecuadorian boats recorded in March near the Galápagos Islands.