Between cartel threats and U.S. airstrikes, Ecuador fishers have nowhere to hide
Drug cartels have turned the small ports of Ecuador's Manabi province into a cocaine-trafficking hub, extorting local fishers who are prized for their navigation skills.
At dawn on Ecuador's Pacific coast, fishing boats from the villages of San Mateo and Jaramijo set sail, heading towards deeper waters and the potential for a bountiful catch. Seaborne vessels return from the choppy surf, disgorging baskets of tuna and swordfish, while eager traders rush to assess the day's catch. However, the tranquil scene conceals the perils faced by these fishermen venturing out onto the waters. ashore, drug cartels have transformed the coastal ports of Manabi province into a stronghold for cocaine trafficking, coercing local fishermen with their navigation expertise.
Fishers are confronted with a stark choice: pursue a lucrative but illicit route by smuggling drugs, reaping more than a year's worth of legal income, or face extortion, menacing threats, and violence.
Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
