The Galápagos Islands are at the centre of political row in Ecuador after the government agreed to allow US anti-narcotics planes to use an airstrip on the archipelago which inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution.

Dozens of people demonstrated outside the main government office in Quito on Monday to protest against a plan they described as a threat to the world heritage site’s unique environment – and an attack on Ecuador’s sovereignty.

The Galápagos Islands, 563 miles west of the South American continent, are renowned for their unique plants and wildlife. Unesco describes the archipelago – visited by a quarter of a million tourists every year – as a “living museum and a showcase for evolution”.

Ecuador’s defense minister, Oswaldo Jarrín, provoked patriotic and environmental outrage last week when he said last week that US aircraft would be able to use the airbase on San Cristóbal Island, and described the islands as a “natural aircraft carrier”.

Former Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa tweeted: “Galápagos is NOT an ‘aircraft carrier’ for gringo use. It is an Ecuadorean province, world heritage site, homeland.”

Correa – once a close ally but now a bitter enemy of his successor, Lenín Moreno – accused the government of capitulating to US pressure. Correa closed a US military base in Manta in 2008, changing the constitution to ban foreign military bases on Ecuadorean soil and in 2014 ordered all US defence department staff to leave the country.

But Ecuador’s foreign minister, José Valencia, tweeted that Jarrín’s remarks had been been intentionally distorted.

“There is not nor will there be a foreign military base,” Norman Wray, president of the Galápagos government council, said in a statement last week.

But the islands’ governor did admit to a deal with the US to improve the runway at the San Cristóbal airport while allowing the “refueling of two planes monitoring illegal activities in the extensive marine reserve”. He said the US aircraft would monitor drug-trafficking and illegal fishing, particularly from foreign fishing fleets.

Last week, lawmakers in Quito voted to summon Jarrín and the environment minister, Marcelo Mata, to explain the scope of the cooperation with the US on the islands, which are considered one of the last near pristine wildernesses on the planet.

Opposition MP Brenda Flor said the archipelago should be considered a “living and unique laboratory which we must protect”.

On Monday, Jarrín said his “aircraft carrier” remark was a reference to the islands’ geographic location in the Pacific Ocean rather than a place where aircraft could land. Speaking to local radio, he said only one US aircraft, a Lockheed P-3 Orion, would stop off at the island airport every month for refueling, or in emergency situations.

“There will not be a permanent presence, there will not be a base,” the minister said. </s> Ecuador to allow US military planes to use Galapagos airport Reports claim that the Lenin Moreno administration of Ecuador has agreed that US military planes can operate from an airport in the Galapagos Islands. Ecuador's defence minister said to have made the announcement The Galapagos Islands are 906 km (563 miles) west of the coast of Ecuador. They are a UNESCO heritage site renowned worldwide for its unique array of plants and wildlife made famous first by Charles Darwin. Tourists from around the world travel to the Galapagos to observe its biodiversity. Deal concerns environmentalists Environmentalists are concerned about the impact that the military activity might have on the sensitive environment. There are also concerns about Ecuador's sovereignty. The new Moreno government has been friendly to the US. It allowed the UK to have Julian Assange arrested by the police. Assange had taken refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy in London for about seven years. He faces extradition to the US. The aircraft involved include a Boeing 777 and a Lockheed P-3 Orion, Latin American media outlet Telesur reports. Ecuadorean lawmakers also express concerns Legislators in the Ecuadorean parliament have asked Jarrin and Marcelo Mata the environment minister to indicate the scope of co-operation with the US in the use of the islands. They also want information on the proposal to extend runways at the San Cristobal airport from which the US planes will operate. Marcela Cevallos a legislator said the US plans would alarm conservationists. Carlos Viteri a member of the opposition claimed the agreement with the US was "unacceptable" and should be prohibited if it ceded an in inch of Ecuadorean territory. Ecuadorean constitution prohibits foreign military bases Rafael Correa, the former president, also tweeted an angry reaction to the effect that the Galapagos were not an aircraft carrier for the US. However, Mr. Jarrin assured his critics that there would be no permanence of anyone on the islands and noted that any modifications to the airfield would be paid for by the US. reports: "US aircraft will be able to use San Cristobal airport, Ecuador's defence minister Oswaldo Jarrin has been quoted as saying. They will "fight drug trafficking" under a deal with Ecuador's government, Mr Jarrin said.The Galapagos Islands are 906 km (563 miles) west of the coast of Ecuador. They are a UNESCO heritage site renowned worldwide for its unique array of plants and wildlife made famous first by Charles Darwin. Tourists from around the world travel to the Galapagos to observe its biodiversity.Environmentalists are concerned about the impact that the military activity might have on the sensitive environment. There are also concerns about Ecuador's sovereignty. The new Moreno government has been friendly to the US. It allowed the UK to have Julian Assange arrested by the police. Assange had taken refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy in London for about seven years. He faces extradition to the US.The aircraft involved include a Boeing 777 and a Lockheed P-3 Orion, Latin American media outlet Telesur reports.Legislators in the Ecuadorean parliament have asked Jarrin and Marcelo Mata the environment minister to indicate the scope of co-operation with the US in the use of the islands. They also want information on the proposal to extend runways at the San Cristobal airport from which the US planes will operate. Marcela Cevallos a legislator said the US plans would alarm conservationists.Carlos Viteri a member of the opposition claimed the agreement with the US was "unacceptable" and should be prohibited if it ceded an in inch of Ecuadorean territory. A recent BBC article reports: "US aircraft will be able to use San Cristobal airport, Ecuador's defence minister Oswaldo Jarrin has been quoted as saying. They will "fight drug trafficking" under a deal with Ecuador's government, Mr Jarrin said.The Galapagos Islands are 906 km (563 miles) west of the coast of Ecuador. They are a UNESCO heritage site renowned worldwide for its unique array of plants and wildlife made famous first by Charles Darwin. Tourists from around the world travel to the Galapagos to observe its biodiversity.Environmentalists are concerned about the impact that the military activity might have on the sensitive environment. There are also concerns about Ecuador's sovereignty. The new Moreno government has been friendly to the US. It allowed the UK to have Julian Assange arrested by the police. Assange had taken refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy in London for about seven years. He faces extradition to the US.The aircraft involved include a Boeing 777 and a Lockheed P-3 Orion, Latin American media outlet Telesur reports.Legislators in the Ecuadorean parliament have asked Jarrin and Marcelo Mata the environment minister to indicate the scope of co-operation with the US in the use of the islands. They also want information on the proposal to extend runways at the San Cristobal airport from which the US planes will operate. Marcela Cevallos a legislator said the US plans would alarm conservationists.Carlos Viteri a member of the opposition claimed the agreement with the US was "unacceptable" and should be prohibited if it ceded an in inch of Ecuadorean territory. Article 5 of Ecuador's constitution says the country is a "territory of peace" and goes on "the establishment of foreign military bases or foreign facilities for military purposes shall not be allowed".Rafael Correa, the former president, also tweeted an angry reaction to the effect that the Galapagos were not an aircraft carrier for the US. However, Mr. Jarrin assured his critics that there would be no permanence of anyone on the islands and noted that any modifications to the airfield would be paid for by the US. Jarrin said: "Galapagos is for Ecuador our aircraft carrier, it is our natural carrier, because it assures us permanence, replenishment, interception facilities and it is 1,000 kilometres from our coasts." The US Dept. of Defense has not commented as yet. </s> Ecuador: US military could use Galápagos island for flights

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — A plan by Ecuador to let the U.S. military use a Galápagos island for aircraft on anti-drug trafficking flights is drawing criticism that the agreement would damage the archipelago's unique animal and plant life.

About 30 people protested outside the main government office in Quito on Monday, calling the plan a threat to the environment of the U.N. world heritage site as well as Ecuador's sovereignty. Protester Gloria Reinoso said she was concerned about the impact of the noise and infrastructure required to support a U.S. military presence.

Last week, Defense Minister Oswaldo Jarrín said San Cristóbal island could be a staging point for American aircraft flying surveillance missions aimed at stopping drug traffickers who transport illicit cargo by sea. Jarrín said flight crews would stay a week at most on the island and would be monitored by Ecuadorian authorities.

The United States Southern Command, which is responsible for U.S. military affairs in the region, did not immediately comment.

One analyst said little information is available about the plan for the archipelago in the Pacific Ocean, which is about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from the Ecuadorian coast. Charles Darwin developed his theory of evolution after studying the extraordinary diversity of species on the islands in the 19th century.

The United States had a base in the Galápagos during World War II and operated it without the involvement of Ecuadorian authorities.

Grace Jaramillo, a political scientist at the University of British Columbia in Canada, said more needed to be known about reasons for the recent plan with the U.S. military as well as the environmental costs for "our "touristic jewel."

"What are the benefits? How was it negotiated?" Jaramillo said.

Carlos Espinosa, an analyst at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito, said it would be better to stage anti-drug flights from the South American mainland so as to safeguard Galápagos ecosystems.

Another commentator, Farid Simon, gave a different view, saying that relatively brief stopovers by U.S. planes did not mean an airport in the Galápagos would become a military base.

"We have an obligation to contribute to the fight against drug trafficking," Simon said. </s> Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The Galapagos Islands are a Unesco World Heritage site

Ecuador has agreed to allow US military planes to operate from an airport on the Galapagos Islands, reports say.

US aircraft will be able to use San Cristobal airport, Ecuador's defence minister Oswaldo Jarrin has been quoted as saying.

They will "fight drug trafficking" under a deal with Ecuador's government, Mr Jarrin said.

The reported deal has prompted concerns over the potential impact on the environment and Ecuador's sovereignty.

The aircraft involved include a Boeing 777 and a Lockheed P-3 Orion, Latin American TV network Telesur reports.

The Galapagos Islands, 563 miles (906km) west of continental Ecuador, are a Unesco World Heritage site renowned worldwide for their unique array of plants and wildlife.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption A pelican spreads its wings on San Cristobal island

Tourists across the globe travel there to see its biodiversity, which inspired Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.

Legislators in Ecuador's parliament have called on Mr Jarrin and environment minister Marcelo Mata to explain the scope of co-operation with the US in the islands.

They have asked them to elaborate on proposals to extend the runway at San Cristobal airport, daily El Universo reports.

Lawmaker Marcela Cevallos said the plan would be alarming for conservationists, it reported.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption New giant tortoise species discovered on Galapagos Islands

Opposition congressman Carlos Viteri said the agreement with the US was "unacceptable" and should be prohibited if "it intends to cede an inch of Ecuadorian territory".

Under Article 5 of Ecuador's constitution, the country is "a territory of peace" and the "establishment of foreign military bases or foreign facilities for military purposes shall not be allowed".

Ecuador's former president Rafael Correa also reacted angrily, tweeting (in Spanish) that the island was "not an aircraft carrier" for the Americans.

Mr Jarrin assured critics that "there will be no permanence of anyone" on the island.

He said any modifications to the airfield would be paid for by the US, Telesur reported.

"Galapagos is for Ecuador our aircraft carrier, it is our natural carrier, because it assures us permanence, replenishment, interception facilities and it is 1,000 kilometres from our coasts," he said.

The BBC has contacted the US Department of Defense for comment. </s> Ecuador: US military could use Galápagos island for flights

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — Ecuador's government says it may let the U.S. military use a Galápagos island for aircraft on anti-drug trafficking flights, drawing criticism that the agreement would damage the archipelago's unique animal and plant life.

About 30 people protested outside the main government office in Quito on Monday, calling the plan a threat to the environment of the U.N. world heritage site as well as Ecuador's sovereignty.

Last week, Defense Minister Oswaldo Jarrín said San Cristóbal island could be a staging point for American aircraft flying surveillance missions aimed at stopping drug traffickers who transport their illicit cargo by sea. Jarrín said flight crews would stay a week at most on the island and would be monitored by Ecuadorian authorities.

The U.S. military did not immediately comment. </s> QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — A plan by Ecuador to let the U.S. military use a Galápagos island for aircraft on anti-drug trafficking flights is drawing criticism that the agreement would damage the archipelago's unique animal and plant life.

About 30 people protested outside the main government office in Quito on Monday, calling the plan a threat to the environment of the U.N. world heritage site as well as Ecuador's sovereignty. Protester Gloria Reinoso said she was concerned about the impact of the noise and infrastructure required to support a U.S. military presence.

Last week, Defense Minister Oswaldo Jarrín said San Cristóbal island could be a staging point for American aircraft flying surveillance missions aimed at stopping drug traffickers who transport illicit cargo by sea. Jarrín said flight crews would stay a week at most on the island and would be monitored by Ecuadorian authorities.

The United States Southern Command, which is responsible for U.S. military affairs in the region, did not immediately comment. </s> CLOSE A rare Galápagos tortoise species believed to to be extinct for a century was found on Santa Cruz Island. Researchers believe the species may exist in greater numbers. USA TODAY

A rare species of giant tortoise was feared extinct after over 100 years without any sightings on the Galápagos Islands. But now, officials say they've found one.

An adult female Fernandina Giant Tortoise, or Chelonoidis phantasticus, possibly older than 100, was found on Fernandina Island, Ecuador's Ministry of the Environment said in a statement Wednesday.

The species is unique to Fernandina Island, one of the more than a dozen islands in the famous archipelago known for its biodiversity that helped fuel Charles Darwin's theory of evolution in the 1800s.

Officials with the Giant Tortoise Restoration Initiative, a collaboration between the Galápagos National Park Directorate and Galápagos Conservancy, a U.S. non-profit dedicated to conservation on the islands, and Animal Planet's "Extinct or Alive" series said they made the discovery Sunday.

This photo release by the Galapagos National Park, shows a Chelonoidis phantasticus tortoise at the Galapagos National Park in Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2019. Park rangers and the Galapagos Conservancy found the tortoise, a species that was thought to have become extinct one hundred years ago. (Photo: Andres Morales, AP)

The animal was found in good health but underweight and was transported to a breeding center on Santa Cruz Island. Genetic tests will be needed to confirm officials' belief that the tortoise is of the species unique to Fernandina, the environment ministry said.

"This encourages us to strengthen our search plans to find other turtles, which will allow us to start a breeding program in captivity to recover this species," said Danny Rueda, director of the Galápagos National Park.

Officials also said it's possible more individuals of the species are still alive.

Biologist Forrest Galante, host of the Animal Planet show which funded the expedition, called it one of the biggest discoveries on the islands in the last 100 years.

"As a biologist and someone who has dedicated my life to the pursuit of animals believed extinct, this is by far my greatest scientific accomplishment and proudest moment," he said in a statement.

A member of Galapagos Conservancy transports the giant Galapagos tortoise Chelonoidis phantasticus, thought to have gone extinct about a century ago. (Photo: RODRIGO BUENDIA, AFP/Getty Images)

More: These kids are hoping to save Galapagos tortoises — and their homes — from climate change

The rare tortoise species was believed to have been threatened by lava flows on the volcanic island, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species.

The last confirmed sighting was in 1906, but signs that the species may still be alive had been found since, giving researchers hope.

In 1964, large tortoise scats and bite marks on a cactus were spotted and, in 2013, scat and footprints were found, according to the IUCN Red List, the comprehensive list of engendered species around the globe. An unconfirmed sighting may have occurred in 2009, the organization also says.

The species had been officially listed as "Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct)" under the Red List's classifications.

Named for their giant tortoises, the Galápagos Islands was home to many unique species of the reptiles. Human exploitation and threats from invasive species have endangered some species and caused others to go extinct, according to the Galápagos Conservancy.

Today, only two groups of giant tortoises remain around the world – those on the Galápagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean and others on Aldabra Atoll in the Indian Ocean, the Galápagos Conservancy says.

The Galápagos Islands, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are part of Ecuador and roughly 600 miles off its coast.

Follow USA TODAY's Ryan Miller on Twitter @RyanW_Miller

A specimen of the giant Galapagos tortoise Chelonoidis phantasticus, thought to have gone extint about a century ago, is seen at the Galapagos National Park on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos Archipelago. (Photo: RODRIGO BUENDIA, AFP/Getty Images)

Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2019/02/20/galapagos-rare-tortoise-species-considered-extinct-until-now/2930134002/ </s> A military plane has crashed in Cuba reportedly killing everyone on board.

The Antonov An-26 aircraft owned by Cuban airline AeroGaviota came down near the western province of Pinar Del Rio just 50 miles from the capital Havana.

The area where the plane came down is known as Las Lomas de San Cristóbal that is 'difficult to access by land'.

Reports suggest that eight people on board died in the crash.

The plane that crashed was an Antonov An-26 aircraft owned by Cuban airline AeroGaviota, similar to this one (stock photo)

The turboprop plane is thought to have taken off from the country's Baracoa Airport which regularly offers domestic flights.

The Cuban News Agency reported: 'The eight military personnel on board, including the crew, died.

'A commission of the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces is investigating the causes of the accident.'

In 2002 four Britons were among 16 people who died when a light aircraft crashed in Cuba.

The plane, an Antonov AN-2 operated by the state airline Aerotaxi, went down near the city of Santa Clara, about 160 miles east of the capital Havana.

The aircraft had been on a round-trip from Cienfuegos on Cuba's southern coast and the island resort of Cayo Coco, in the north. </s> 00:25 (GMT+4) A Cuban military plane crashed into a hillside Saturday morning in the western province of Artemisa, killing eight troops on board, the government said, AP reported.

The military said in a written statement that the Soviet-made AN-26 took off from the Playa Baracoa airport outside Havana at 6:38 a.m. and crashed into a hillside outside the town of Candelaria about 40 miles (65 kilometers) away.

The military said a special commission would investigate the crash. Officials did not immediately release any further information.

23:03 (GMT+4) An An-26 passenger plane carrying up to 39 people has disappeared from radars during a flight in Cuba and is now reported to have crashed in the western part of the country, Sputnik reported citing local media.

According to the NTN24 broadcaster, the plane, operated by the country's Aerogaviota airline, departed from the airport of Baracoa located in eastern Cuba.

Local media report that the plane crashed in the western part of the country, in an area called Las Lomas de San Cristóbal in the province of Pinar del Rio. The area is described as difficult to access.

The number of victims is not yet confirmed.

"We have received confirmation of the crash from the airline offices in Cuba, and unfortunately they have confirmed also that there were casualties," local news portal Ciber Cuba has reported.
Ecuador agrees to allow U.S. military planes fighting drug trafficking to operate from San Cristóbal Airport in the Galápagos Islands. National Assembly legislators call on Defense Minister Oswaldo Jarrin and Environmental Minister Marcelo Mata to explain the scope of co-operation.