BTN News: Salinas is a coastal town in southwest Ecuador. It looks peaceful with its fancy buildings and calm scenery. But behind this peaceful look, there is a lot of violence and fear that tourists do not see. Local fishermen are forced into drug trafficking by violent gangs that make them stay silent through threats and violence.
A 35-year-old fisherman from Santa Rosa, a port in Salinas with a population of 35,000 in the province of Santa Elena, talks about the scary situation. “If you complain, you die,” he says. He does not want to give his name because he is scared for his safety. The port is very quiet, and people look at each other with distrust. “We can’t stay here for long,” he says, sounding worried.
A Difficult Choice for Local Fishermen in Salinas: Transport Cocaine or Face Death
Many fishermen along Ecuador’s Pacific coast face a tough choice. They can transport cocaine for a lot of money or be killed if they refuse. His boat moves through many colorful fishing boats at the pier before heading out to the open ocean, a dangerous journey.
Salinas is 150 kilometers west of Guayaquil, Ecuador’s main commercial port. Guayaquil is a hotspot for violent fights between gangs who want to control drug routes to the United States and Europe. Ecuador used to be peaceful, but now it has high levels of violence. The murder rate went from 6 per 100,000 people in 2018 to a record 47 per 100,000 in 2023.
Drug Trade in Santa Elena: Using Fishing Boats and Small Vessels for Transport
Santa Elena is the political base and home of President Daniel Noboa. He has been fighting hard against drug trafficking since he took office in 2023. Drug traffickers in Santa Elena use small fishing boats to move drugs. Glaeldys González, a researcher for Crisis Group in Ecuador, says they do this because fishermen know the sea and weather well.
Boris Rodas, a naval captain in the area, says traffickers also use larger boats, semi-submersibles, and even submarines. Much of the cocaine goes to Central America before being sent to the United States.
Threats and Coercion: How Organized Crime Forces Fishermen Into Drug Trafficking
Crime groups use threats to force fishermen in many small coastal villages to transport drugs. In Santa Elena, the big gang Los Choneros works with smaller groups like Los Lagartos, Los Tiguerones, Los Chone Killers, and Los Lobos.
“We never meet those who hire us. There are intermediaries, and we never know the boss,” says the fisherman. They are offered about $10,000 per shipment, which is tempting for fishermen who struggle with money and boat repair costs. But this opportunity comes with great risks. “These people and their families are threatened by armed actors,” González says. She refers to the choice given by the Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar: “Silver or lead.”
The fisherman from Santa Rosa says they get half the payment before they leave and the rest when they come back. But often, they only get part of the promised money. Complaining could get them killed.
Caught in the Crossfire: The Danger Fishermen Face Between Rival Gangs
Violence happens at sea too. “A few days ago, they killed a man who was a fisherman,” the sailor whispers. Everyone knows about it, but no one talks. At sea, rival gangs fight for control of drug routes, leading to deadly clashes. “When rival gangs meet at sea, they shoot each other,” he says.
Fishermen are often caught between fighting gangs and are accused of helping the other side. They have to pay extortion fees to criminal groups for supposed protection. In April 2023, a group of thirty gunmen attacked a fishing port in Esmeraldas, killing nine people. The violent attack was caught on security cameras.
Despite President Noboa declaring an internal armed conflict in January and deploying the military on the streets and in prisons, violence continues. The first four months of the year saw about 1,900 murders, compared to 8,004 for all of 2023.
Community in Crisis: The Urgent Need for Solutions to Help Fishermen and Restore Safety
The story of the fishermen in Salinas shows the bigger problem in Ecuador, a country caught in international drug trafficking. The peaceful coastal town should be a safe and prosperous place but has become a dangerous area where locals are forced to make dangerous choices to survive. Their stories of threats, violence, and survival show the urgent need for effective solutions to stop crime and bring safety back to these vulnerable communities.
