Ecuador fishermen are facing a dire situation, caught between the threats of drug cartels and US airstrikes. In the small ports of Ecuador’s Manabi province, cartels have taken over, extorting local fishermen and forcing them to smuggle cocaine. Those who refuse are met with violence and intimidation.

Cartel Control

The cartels, including Los Choneros and Los Lobos, have expanded their control in coastal areas, recruiting fishermen for their navigation skills. Fishermen who don’t cooperate are forced to pay ‘fees’ of $1,200 per fishing trip, which is three or four times their average monthly earnings. If they do transport cocaine, they can earn up to $40,000 per trip.

Meanwhile, the US has been conducting airstrikes on alleged ‘narco-terrorists’ in the region, with 67 vessels destroyed and over 220 people killed since last September. The US government has claimed responsibility for these attacks, but two other incidents, which bear the hallmarks of US strikes, have not been claimed. These incidents involved fishing vessels from Manabi province, with survivors reporting being attacked by drones and then detained by armed, English-speaking men in military-style uniforms.

US Airstrikes

The US Southern Command has declined to comment on the incidents, citing ‘operational security and force protection reasons.’ Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa has not responded to requests for comment, and the military has said that information about drug enforcement is classified. El Salvador’s navy has also not responded to requests for comment, but has said that it rescued 16 shipwrecked Ecuadoreans in a Facebook post.

The situation has left many fishermen too afraid to go out to sea, with some cutting back on trips or altering their routes to avoid extortion attempts. The joint drug-enforcement efforts of the US, Ecuador, and El Salvador have coincided with the US airstrike campaign, leaving fishermen with nowhere to hide.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.