On Monday (Aug. 18), President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva advocated expanding trade with Ecuador and reaffirmed that strengthening ties with South American countries is a priority for Brazil.
Lula received Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa in Brasília on an official visit and reaffirmed the importance of trade diversification.
“In a challenging global scenario, in which rivalries are intensifying and multilateral institutions are being undermined, we must stand firm in defending our independence. For Brazil, autonomy is synonymous with diversification of partnerships. Ties with Ecuador and other South American neighbors are a priority for us,” he said in a statement to the press after the meeting.
“We are committed to fostering more balanced trade and reducing barriers to Ecuadorian products. We will begin by implementing the court decision that opened the Brazilian market to Ecuadorian bananas. The process will start with dehydrated bananas, and by the end of the year, we will complete the analysis and risk assessment for fresh bananas,” stated Lula.
“Similarly, I am confident that the Ecuadorian government will be attentive to products of interest to Brazil, starting with pork,” added the president, emphasizing the need to update the agreement between Mercosur and Ecuador.
In 2024, trade between Brazil and Ecuador totaled $1.1 billion, with Brazilian exports reaching $970 million. The main exports to Ecuador include vehicles, machinery, medicines, and pulp and paper products.
Crimes
The Brazilian president also discussed cooperation to combat organized crime among Amazonian countries and strengthening the partnership with Ecuador in tackling various illegal activities.
Lula announced that the Brazilian Federal Police office in Quito will be reopened and that Brazil is already providing training in financial crime investigation. “We can do much more, from actions to curb criminal activities inside prisons to operations targeting arms smuggling,” he noted.
To combat crime in the digital sphere, Lula once again called for regulation of digital networks and for holding the major technology companies that control them accountable.
“Digital networks should not be lawless territories where democracy can be attacked with impunity or where hatred and violence are incited. Eradicating the sexual exploitation of children and adolescents is both a moral imperative and an obligation of public authorities,” emphasized the Brazilian president.
Agreements
During the official visit, agreements were signed in the areas of food security, artificial intelligence, and family farming. The food security agreement provides for technical cooperation in combating hunger and poverty through the exchange of experiences, studies, and knowledge between the two countries.
A memorandum of understanding was also signed to foster cooperation in artificial intelligence. The goal is to strengthen academic and scientific collaboration and to train professionals in high-performance computing infrastructure for the development of Latin American AI models.
Finally, an understanding was reached to promote public policies on family farming, sustainable agricultural and rural development, agroecological transition, short marketing circuits, public food supply systems, increased organic agricultural production, and the reduction of losses and waste.
After the meeting at the Planalto presidential palace, Lula hosted Noboa and other officials for lunch at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs palace.
