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Ecuador defends US sinking of vessels in joint anti-drug operation

From Al Jazeera · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Ecuador said three vessels sunk by US forces in the Eastern Pacific were linked to joint investigations targeting drug-smuggling operations.
  • Ecuador’s interior minister described one vessel as a floating refueling station for speedboats moving drugs north, while US Southern Command said it was linked to the Los Choneros gang.
  • Relatives disputed the claims, saying some detained crew members were fishermen and that no drugs were found; the accounts have not been independently verified.

Ecuador has defended the United States after its forces sank three vessels accused of supporting drug-trafficking operations in the Eastern Pacific. Quito said the action formed part of joint investigations with Washington into smuggling networks linked to criminal gangs.

Interior Minister John Reimberg told Teleamazonas that the vessels served as refueling points for speedboats carrying drugs north toward Mexico and the United States. “This is work carried out through international cooperation,” he said.

US Southern Command repeated that account, saying it had “successfully interdicted a vessel operating as a floating refueling station in support of illicit at-sea drug trafficking operations” linked to the Los Choneros gang. It said people removed from the vessel would be transferred safely to Ecuadorian authorities before the vessel was sunk. A video posted by the command showed US forces boarding a vessel before it was destroyed at sea, but its time and location have not been independently verified.

This is work carried out through international cooperation.

· John ReimbergEcuador’s interior minister defended the operation as a joint effort with the United States.

Relatives of some crew members rejected the allegations. The wife of one crew member told Reuters that the men had been fishing when US forces boarded and that no drugs were found. Her account also has not been independently verified. Ecuador’s navy said it received 28 crew members from that vessel and another boat sunk on Wednesday, bringing them to Manta, the country’s main fishing port.

The operations have drawn concern in Latin America as part of the Trump administration’s campaign against maritime drug trafficking and its use of air attacks and lethal force in international waters. SOUTHCOM said a previous attack on a low-profile vessel killed two people on Aug. 23, while another US strike two days later killed four. None of those victims was identified.

successfully interdicted a vessel operating as a floating refueling station in support of illicit at-sea drug trafficking operations

· US Southern CommandThe command described the vessel’s alleged role in maritime drug trafficking and linked it to Los Choneros.
About this summary

Originally published by Al Jazeera in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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