RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Ecuador’s president-elect, Guillermo Lasso, advocated in Colombia, during his first visit abroad since he won the April 11 elections, for the “economic opening of Ecuador to the world” and the “immediate full entry” of his country into the Pacific Alliance.
“We will do everything necessary so that in our government, we can achieve this economic opening of Ecuador to the world and investment of the world in Ecuador,” Lasso said in a statement after meeting in Bogota with Colombian President Ivan Duque.
The center-right Lasso, who was declared winner in the second round of the Ecuadorian elections against Andrés Arauz, said: “We believe in free trade, we believe in economic openness, we believe in the free transit of people, free transit of capital, free transit of goods.”
He also asked for Colombia’s support “for an immediate full entry into the Pacific Alliance,” the regional economic integration initiative formed by Mexico, Colombia, Chile, and Peru, seeking to strengthen trade with other countries.
The outgoing Ecuadorian government, presided by Lenín Moreno, formally requested in 2018 its incorporation into the Pacific Alliance, in which it currently has the status of “Associated State.”
Read: Ecuador will show if there is room for liberalism in Latin America
At the XV Summit of Presidents of the Alliance last December 10, progress was made in the future negotiation of incorporation. Still, to do so, Ecuador needs to have trade agreements with the four-member countries.
“In my capacity as president pro tempore of the Pacific Alliance, I reiterate not only the interest but all Colombia’s help so that during this pro tempore presidency, we can guarantee Ecuador’s access to this important Alliance,” Duque assured in response to this request, which he expects to be materialized this year.
In this sense, Duque called on him to strengthen trade ties between two countries that are strategic partners.
“We are brotherly countries, countries that have shared a history and a tradition, and we see in trade with our countries an opportunity for welfare, for social transformation,” he said.
COMMITMENT TO DEMOCRACY IN LATIN AMERICA
In addition to economic and trade relations between the two countries, Duque and Lasso, who will take office on May 24, discussed cooperation on security and environmental issues and democracy in the region.
Without alluding to any country or president, the winner of the Ecuadorian elections assured that together with Colombia “and other Latin American presidents, we would fight for the full validity of democracy in Latin America.”
“Rest assured, as we have discussed and talked about in our meetings, that we will be faithful to democratic principles,” Lasso assured Duque.
Values that the Colombian president, also right-wing, highlighted by congratulating him the same night the results were announced, and almost without having counted 100% of the votes.
“We want to congratulate you for the valuable electoral victory you obtained, for your convictions that you have always had in defense of democracy throughout the hemisphere and now, of course in the reins of your country that you assume to advance a great social and economic transformation,” the Colombian president praised today.
Lasso traveled to Bogota on Tuesday, together with his wife, María Lourdes Alcívar, and several advisors to strengthen bilateral relations with Colombia in his first international meeting.
The two countries share a 586-kilometer border and a close historical and commercial friendship that has not been free of problems in recent years due to the presence of different Colombian illegal armed groups in the area.
Lasso met at the Casa de Nariño and Duque with the Colombian Foreign Minister, Claudia Blum; the head of the presidential cabinet, María Paula Correa, the Interior minister Daniel Palacios; and the Minister of Defense, Diego Molano, among others.