He President of Ecuador, Daniel Noboarevealed this Monday that He does not have much hope for a change of position on the part of his Colombian counterpart, Gustavo Petro, on security, amid tensions on the Ecuadorian side to reinforce controls on the border, which has unleashed a trade war between Quito and Bogotá.
“I don’t have much hope that Petro will change, or that it will do what it should do, which is protect its southern border, and it’s a shame because, commercially, Ecuador is better off with the security rate,” Noboa told Forever radio.
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The tariff on Colombian imports was 30% in February, later it went to 50% and From next May 1 it will be 100%.
Presidents Gustavo Petro (Colombia) and Daniel Noboa (Ecuador), Photo:Presidency
According to the Ministry of Production, Foreign Trade, Investment and Fisheries, after the two months of trade war, Ecuador registered a trade surplus with Colombia of 62.9 million dollars “for the first time in more than 25 years.”
“What we asked is: if we are sacrificing jobs in Ecuador, if we are sacrificing industries in Ecuador by maintaining that commercial relationship with Colombia, at least, little brother, take care of your border and be reciprocal, just as we have sold cheap electricity in 2017, that they sell us at the same price,” Noboa added.
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President of Ecuador awaits the elections in Colombia
The president recalled that Ecuador is “always open to working with Colombia“They are our brothers, they are by our side and we have always had a good relationship.”
The president of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa. Photo:AFP
“Let’s hope that after these elections (in Colombia), we can sit down and give it a long-term solution to this problem we have on the border,” he noted regarding the presidential elections scheduled for May 31.
Trade war between Ecuador and Colombia
The trade war began last January with the announcement of tariffs by Noboa to pressure Colombia to strengthen the border against insecuritybut tensions between Quito and Bogotá increased last week after Petro described former Correísta vice president Jorge Glas as a “political prisoner.”
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Noboa considered these statements as an “attack on sovereignty” and called his ambassador for consultations.
Petro called his ambassador for consultations, responded with a reciprocal announcement on the issue of tariffs and mentioned the possibility of leaving the Andean Community of Nations (CAN), an organization made up of Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia and Peru, and whose secretary general, Gonzalo Gutiérrez, called on Petro and Noboa on Friday to urgently resume dialogue.
President Gustavo Petro Photo:Presidency
On the other hand, Noboa also referred to security on the border with Peruwhere he said that the presidential candidates who are poised to advance to the second round “are seen to have an important intention to improve security and to work together with Ecuador.”
According to the official vote count, the Fuerza Popular candidate, the right-wing Keiko Fujimori, remained in first place this Monday in the presidential elections in Peru with 16.9% of valid votes, followed by the Renovación Popular candidate, the far-right Rafael López Aliaga, with 14.7%, after the scrutiny of 51.6% of the minutes, which places both in a presidential second round on June 7.
Ecuador called its ambassador in Colombia for consultations. Photo:
GERALDINE BAJONERO VÁSQUEZ
Journalist Latest News from EL TIEMPO
*With information from EFE
