Ecuador judge rejects forced disappearance claim for Conquista II crew

An Ecuadorian judge has rejected a habeas corpus petition seeking to declare the crew of the fishing vessel Conquista II victims of forced disappearance. The legal action was filed by the Comité Permanente por la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos (CDH) of Guayaquil following an incident in the Pacific Ocean in early September.

The Conquista II was intercepted and bombed by United States military forces in a coordinated anti-narcotics operation with the Ecuadorian government. The CDH argued there was a critical lack of information regarding the whereabouts of the 17 crew members between the attack on September 2 and the time information was finally released on the evening of September 3.

The petition sought to clarify the events following the interception, compel authorities to release official information, and initiate formal investigations. While the 17 crew members were eventually released and most face no charges, the CDH maintains that the judicial ruling must be appealed, potentially reaching the Constitutional Court. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously stated that these operations aim to combat organized crime rather than target fishermen.