Ecuador, Divisions in Government on Trade Isolate Country, According to Companies

La Hora reports Ecuadorian business representatives met yesterday to address the government divisions surrounding trade with the European Union. Ecuadorian president of the Business Committee (ECC) Blasco Penaherrera says that with no clear trade policy statements made by government officials can create conflict. The Ecuadorian Deputy Foreign Minister Kintto Lucas stated that EU free trade agreements (FTA) are really a ‘neo-colonial attempt to save their businesses from the economic crisis,’ as Nataly Celi, EU Minister of Production toured South America to negotiate FTAs. Lucas stands by what he said. According to Manuel Chiriboga, head of the Foreign Trade Center, Lucas’s comments undermine Ecuador’s negotiating position and the strength of their trade proposal to the EU. Ecuador is pursuing closer relations with Europe, its second largest trading partner, however Chiriboga warns that due to internal disagreement Ecuador may be ‘excluded.’Read Article