Fishermen on Ecuador's Pacific coast, particularly in Manabi province, face an impossible choice: either smuggle drugs for cartels like Los Choneros and Los Lobos, earning up to $40,000 per trip, or face extortion, threats, and violence. Cartels demand "fees" of $1,200 per fishing trip, which is three to four times a fisherman's average monthly earnings, or threaten retaliation against them and their families. This has led to an estimated 300 Jaramijo residents being jailed in U.S. and Salvadoran prisons on drug-trafficking charges over the past five years.
Offshore, fishermen are also at risk from U.S. airstrikes. As part of "Operation Southern Spear," the U.S. military has destroyed 67 vessels and killed over 220 people since September of last year. One such incident involved the Negra Francisca Duarte II, where a drone strike set the boat ablaze, injuring fishermen. Survivors reported being taken aboard a U.S. vessel, handcuffed, blindfolded, and interrogated. The U.S. Southern Command has posted videos of such operations, claiming intelligence confirmed vessels were used for drug-related activities, a claim often denied by the fishermen.
These combined threats have severely impacted the fishing industry. Many fishermen are now afraid to go to sea, leading to an estimated 80% of the fleet remaining in port. This loss of work has resulted in financial hardship for communities, with fishermen losing their boats and being unable to pay off loans. While the U.S. and Ecuador celebrate seizures, such as 91,000 kg of cocaine and 160 arrests by the U.S. Coast Guard, and a joint operation recovering 760 kg of cocaine, experts like former DEA official Vigil argue that destroying boats will not stop trafficking as long as cartels can exploit vulnerable fishermen. Organized-crime expert Michelle Maffei also notes that the focus on small fishing vessels overlooks the continued use of large commercial ports for the majority of cocaine shipments.
