In light of new revelations regarding the alleged involvement of the United States in attacks on Ecuadorian vessels, including the Fiorella vessel—eight of whose crew members remain missing—Ana Piquer, Americas Director at Amnesty International, said:
“The U.S. role in this attack is becoming increasingly difficult to deny. U.S. authorities must conduct an impartial investigation into the incident and, if there is sufficient and admissible evidence, establish criminal liability in the case. We must not forget that eight families have been waiting nearly seven months to find out what happened to their loved ones.”
The U.S. role in this attack is becoming increasingly difficult to deny. U.S. authorities must conduct an impartial investigation into the incident and, if there is sufficient and admissible evidence, establish criminal liability in the case.”
Ana Piquer, Americas Director at Amnesty International
On August 12, The New York Times published an investigation revealing that a maritime patrol plane, crewed by English-speaking pilots and based at a military facility in El Salvador, flew and followed the Fiorella vessel for four days, including January 20, the day it disappeared. According to the newspaper, the aircraft is not part of the U.S. government’s fleet but was registered to a private company in the state of Virginia, suggesting a possible collaboration between private entities and U.S. authorities in the attack.
A day later, on August 13, The Washington Post published a report alleging that the attack on the Fiorella vessel had been carried out as part of a covert program by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), with the alleged direct approval of the President of the United States.
In July, Amnesty International reconstructed the Fiorella’s route using data from the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS), which confirmed that the vessel set sail from the port of Jaramijó on January 13 and transmitted its last signal on January 20, in international waters between the Ecuadorian coast and the Galápagos Islands. Since then, eight of its ten crew members have been missing.
“The U.S. Congress must continue to push for legislative investigations into this incident and consider the possible involvement of government agencies in collaboration with private entities, given the new evidence available. Likewise, it must continue to demand accountability and transparency regarding all attacks on vessels in the Pacific and the Caribbean over the past year, which have been carried out as part of President Trump’s anti-drug policy. Human rights violations committed as part of these attacks—including more than 200 possible extrajudicial executions—cannot go unpunished,” Piquer said.
The U.S. Congress must continue to push for legislative investigations into this incident and consider the possible involvement of government agencies in collaboration with private entities, given the new evidence available.”
Ana Piquer, Americas Director at Amnesty International
For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact [email protected]