US sinks Ecuadorian fishing boat; Rubio maintains threat of further action

On 8 September, a US patrol ship intercepted and destroyed the Ecuadorian fishing vessel Don Rufo in international waters near Ecuador, leaving 10 fishermen adrift in the Pacific. A day later, Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Quito, where Ecuador's president awarded him a medal for "promoting peace in the region". Rubio did not back down from threatening further action, stating the US remains ready to "sink ships if necessary". Fishermen's advocates stress they have lost their livelihoods.