Mexico acknowledges “controversial” issues in FTA negotiations with Ecuador

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, acknowledged on Monday that there are “controversial issues” in the negotiation of the free trade agreement with Ecuador.

“There are two issues there that have to do, controversial, we are seeking to resolve them. One is shrimp; the producers, or those who are dedicated to shrimp catching and shrimp farming in Mexico, do not want this agreement because they will be harmed, and the other is the banana,” he revealed.

Read also: Check out our coverage on Mexico

Guillermo Lasso, President of Ecuador, stated a month ago that his country was close to closing the free trade agreement with Mexico, which would allow the Andean nation to join the Pacific Alliance in the first months of 2022.

López Obrador assured that the Mexican government “they do want the treaty with Ecuador to be signed” but warned of these issues on which there is still no agreement.

“But we are looking for a way to sign the agreement with Ecuador because if we take care of strategic issues, we can reach an agreement,” he said.

The trade agreement with Mexico, one of the leading investors in Ecuador, was in the sights of the Ecuadorian center-right politician since he came to power on May 24, in continuity with an initiative launched by his predecessor Lenín Moreno.

Ecuador already has agreements with Chile, Peru, and Colombia, the other members of the Alliance, so the treaty with Mexico is crucial to enter as a full member of the economic organization.

After visiting Mexico in the first months of his government, Lasso agreed with López Obrador to set up eleven negotiating tables to address the aspects involved in the treaty and resolve differences on investment, tariffs, products, technicalities and other elements.

“President Lasso has been in communication with us, and there is a good relationship with the Government of Ecuador,” reaffirmed López Obrador.

TREATY WITH THE EU

The Mexican president also commented that “progress is being made in the negotiations” to ratify the modernization of the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and Mexico (EU-Mexico FTA).

The renegotiation of the Global Agreement between Mexico and the European Union (EU) was concluded in 2020 but has not been ratified.

“We are on it. We met with representatives of the European Union in a teleconference I spoke with them a week ago, which was discussed on the subject. Progress is being made in the negotiations,” commented the Mexican president.

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