Some 300 Park Rangers in the Galapagos Islands are striking over the replacement of Park Director Edwin Naula by Ecuador's Environment Minister, Fabian Valdiviez, who they claim is a political appointee and is not concerned with the islands' delicate ecosystem. The Environmental Minister defended his hiring of Fausto Cepeda, stating that he was director of the parks in the 1990s and as his first act, would evaluate park administration, replacing many with "more experienced people."