Space Travel News
WATER WORLD
Ecuador could host foreign military base on Galapagos
Ecuador could host foreign military base on Galapagos
by AFP Staff Writers
Quito (AFP) Oct 28, 2025

Ecuadoran President Daniel Noboa, a staunch US ally, said Tuesday the South American nation could host a foreign military base on the Galapagos Islands, famous for their unique flora and fauna.

Ecuadorans will decide in a referendum on November 16 whether to repeal a 2008 constitutional ban on their country hosting foreign military bases, as sought by Noboa.

Noboa told Radio Centro station that Baltra, a small island in the Pacific archipelago chain where British scientist Charles Darwin developed his theory of evolution, could be used to combat drug and fuel trafficking, as well as illegal fishing.

Baltra, which has an airport, was home to a US military base during World War II.

His remarks comes as the United States ratchets up strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats off South America, which initially chiefly hit Venezuelan vessels but has also targeted Colombian boats.

On Tuesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced strikes on a four more boats, killing 14 people, bringing the death toll from Washington's campaign to at least 57 since September.

Noboa did not specify which country could establish a military base in Ecuador, a major hub for cocaine trafficking, but has talked of "various countries," including the United States.

On a visit to Quito in September US Secretary of State Marco Rubio vowed to help him "wage war" against drug-trafficking "terrorists."

Noboa said Tuesday hosting foreign troops in the Galapagos "is not to harm the Galapagos or to give them away, it is to protect them."

The Galapagos Islands, a World Heritage Site, are situated some 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) off the coast of Ecuador.

The Ecuadoran armed forces regularly seize drugs, weapons, and fuel in the surrounding waters.

The United States for years operated a military base in Ecuador's Pacific port of Manta.

In 2009, then left-wing president Rafael Correa, a fierce US critic, refused to renew the lease.

Related Links
Water News - Science, Technology and Politics

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
WATER WORLD
Aussie PM meets Trump with critical minerals on offer
Sydney (AFP) Oct 19, 2025
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese meets with President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday, touting his country's abundant critical minerals as a way to loosen China's grip over global supplies. At the same time, Albanese is hoping to secure Trump's backing for a 2021 pact to arm Australia with silent, nuclear-powered attack submarines. Australians have a mostly unfavourable view of the Trump administration, polling shows, though the country relies on the United States to balance China ... read more

WATER WORLD
WATER WORLD
Yeast demonstrates survival skills under Mars conditions

Are there living microbes on Mars? Check the ice

Blocks of dry ice carve gullies on Martian dunes through explosive sublimation

Yeast withstands Mars-like shocks and toxic salts in survival test

WATER WORLD
Orion spacecraft prepared for lunar mission as stacking with SLS rocket achieved

Griffin-1 lander enters final test phase for multi-payload lunar mission

Glass beads found on Moons far side reveal ancient meteor impact diversity

Chang'e-6 lunar samples reveal new pathways for solar system material movement

WATER WORLD
Could these wacky warm Jupiters help astronomers solve the planet formation puzzle?

Out-of-this-world ice geysers on Saturn's Enceladus

3 Questions: How a new mission to Uranus could be just around the corner

A New Model of Water in Jupiter's Atmosphere

WATER WORLD
Newly found rocky super-Earth could become key focus in search for life

Hydrothermal vents may have triggered early molecular chemistry on ancient Earth

Ancient White Dwarf Reveals Ongoing Planetary Consumption

Newly found super-Earth orbits nearby star in promising habitable zone

WATER WORLD
Russia's new nuclear-powered missiles not a threat for now

Long March 5 rocket achieves breakthrough as tallest launch vehicle in Chinese space history

Final assembly of Vinci engines for Ariane 6 transitions to Germany

Rocket Lab sets November launch for next iQPS Earth-imaging satellite

WATER WORLD
China aims to lead international space science with new discoveries

China expands space capabilities with new lunar and deep space milestones

China marks milestone 600th Long March rocket launch

Chinese astronauts complete fourth spacewalk of Shenzhou XX mission

WATER WORLD
Asteroid with Second-Fastest Orbit Discovered Hidden in Sunlight

Asteroid near Earth detected hours after it passed the planet

Gaia data uncovers hidden link between asteroid collisions and chaotic spin states

China's Tianwen 2 probe marks halfway milestone en route to asteroid target

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.