Torture, disappearances: HRW denounces abuses in cooperation between the EU and Ecuador

Human Rights Watch has accused the United States and Ecuador of serious human rights violations linked to their growing security cooperation, particularly in operations conducted in the border region between Ecuador and Colombia. In a detailed report released this Tuesday, titled A Dangerous Alliance: Abuse, Unanswered Questions, and Security Cooperation Between the U.S. and Ecuador, the organization documented abuses committed during joint military operations involving Ecuadorian forces and U.S. personnel in the community of San Martín, near the Colombian border, between March 1 and June 6. The report highlights incidents including the destruction of properties, arbitrary arrests, and allegations of torture against individuals detained during these operations. According to HRW, three properties were set ablaze, and two were attacked from the air. Four workers from a dairy farm were arbitrarily detained and subjected to torture, according to testimonies collected by the organization. One detainee described being tortured with electricity and a taser, while water was poured over him before he was covered in mud, causing him to faint twice. HRW interviewed 62 individuals, including victims, lawyers, witnesses, and members of affected communities, analyzing more than 100 photos and videos provided by interviewees or published online, along with satellite imagery. The findings suggest that both the U.S. and Ecuador have taken measures to undermine human rights protections applicable to the use of force, committing acts such as forced disappearances and extrajudicial executions. These actions have been justified by mischaracterizing the fight against drug trafficking and organized crime as an armed conflict. Ecuador, which has strengthened its security cooperation with the U.S., is part of the Shield of the Americas, an alliance aimed at combating narcotics and enhancing regional security. HRW’s director for Latin America, Juanita Goebertus, stated that the security partnership between the U.S. and Ecuador has been too opaque and dangerous for Ecuadorians. She urged the U.S. Congress to demand clear answers and effective safeguards before further harm occurs. In response to the allegations, Ecuadorian authorities claimed the operations targeted the armed group known as the Comandos de la Frontera and that the detainees were held for investigative purposes due to suspected ties with the group. However, HRW found no credible evidence linking the destroyed properties to criminal groups. Instead, one property was identified as a dairy farm, and the other two had been abandoned for years. The detainees lacked criminal records, and the prosecutor’s office did not file charges because the military failed to provide sufficient evidence against them. The U.S. media outlet The New York Times had previously questioned the attack, noting that the area targeted was a dairy and livestock operation, not a drug trafficking hub. The Ecuadorian Ministry of Defense disputed this, stating that the site was not a dairy farm and that illicit activities, including a semi-automatic rifle and ammunition, were discovered in the vicinity. HRW also spoke with survivors of drone attacks on La Negra Francisca Duarte II on March 17 and the operation against Don Maca on March 26, who provided additional accounts of the violence and its impact on local communities. The organization continues to call for transparency and accountability, emphasizing the need for independent investigations into the alleged abuses.