Ecuadorian soldiers launch rockets from a BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launcher in an operation in Podocarpus National Park, Ecuador, on Monday against illegal mining. The Army destroyed 129 camps in the park, one of the country’s largest protected natural areas and situated near the border with Peru. Photo by Mauricio Torres/EPA
Ecuador’s armed forces destroyed 129 illegal mining camps inside Podocarpus National Park, an ecological reserve in southern Ecuador near the Peru border, after a nine-day military operation that caused millions of dollars in losses to criminal groups, the Defense Ministry said.
The offensive, known as “Operation Podocarpus,” sought to regain control of areas within the park that has been occupied by groups engaged in illegal gold extraction.
During the operation, troops destroyed 94 mine shafts and 56 crushing machines, and seized explosives, ammunition, communication radios, satellite antennas, generators and other equipment used in the illicit activity.
“The operations weakened the logistical capacity of these criminal structures,” the Ecuadorian army said in a statement.
Military actions included ground operations and targeted strikes against illegal infrastructure, affecting about 321 acres inside the park, according to the Defense Ministry.
Despite the park having protected area status, authorities said criminal groups had occupied parts to carry out the illegal gold extraction.
Podocarpus National Park spans more than 360,770 acres across the Andes and Amazon regions and is known for its biodiversity, with thousands of plant and animal species.
The Defense Ministry estimated the economic impact of the operation on organized armed groups at about $3 million and is part of a broader strategy to disrupt their sources of financing.
