Lasso shows Biden his interest in a trade agreement with the US in a meeting at the White House

Published:

Dec 19, 2022 19:26 GMT

They also discussed migration, security and the environment. The Ecuadorian president described the meeting as “very productive.”

US President Joe Biden received his Ecuadorian counterpart, Guillermo Lasso, at the White House on Monday.

In the meeting, Lasso reaffirmed Ecuador’s interest in reaching a “commercial agreement” with the US, in order, he said, “to further unite both nations.”

“It was a very productive meeting,” said the Ecuadorian president after the meeting. He pointed out that both agreed to strengthen “cooperation for Ecuador’s security strategy” and also discussed the environment, the importance of working on immigration policies that respect human rights and democracy.

“The US will continue to be a strategic partner of Ecuador to generate development and opportunities in our nation,” Lasso remarked.

Prior to the closed-door meeting, the leaders met with the press. There, Biden said that, precisely, they would talk about migration, security and the economy.

“We will continue working together, because working together we have made a lot of progress on the issue of migration“Biden said.

For his part, in these statements before journalists, Lasso expressed that the meeting is an “opportunity” to reaffirm the “democratic values, freedom and respect for human rights” that, in his opinion, both nations share.

“Undoubtedly we’ve been allies for decades And what I hope is to reaffirm that spirit among allies to fight for that democracy, that peace, that justice, both in our region and to support the efforts of your government to achieve those values ​​also in the world,” added Lasso.

This is the second meeting between Lasso and Biden, after the one that occurred at the IX Summit of the Americas, held in Los Angeles, California, last June.

The Ecuadorian president traveled to the North American country on Sunday and his visit will last until next Wednesday, December 21.

Prior to the meeting with Biden, this Monday morning Lasso maintained a meeting with businessmen from the Society of the Americas/Council of the Americas (AS/COA), to whom he presented the scenario that the country offers to invest. Likewise, she placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington.

Lasso’s agenda these days in the North American country also includes meetings with representatives of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the World Bank (WB), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Agency for International Development (USAID), reported the General Secretariat of Communication of the Presidency.

newly approved law

This Monday’s meeting with Biden took place after the US Congress last week. approve the Ecuador-US Association Law. 2022.

According to the Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry, this regulation has among its purposes encourage bilateral cooperationfacilitate the commercial relationship, promote inclusive economic development, fight against illegal economies and corruption, strengthen democracy and promote environmental conservation.

Likewise, according to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the law’s objectives are to increase capacities to confront “malign foreign influence”, strengthen cooperation in security matters, the fight against human trafficking and the collaboration of Washington with Ecuador for the protection of the Galapagos.

Lasso’s trip to the US was preceded by several visits by US officials to Ecuador. Last October, a delegation of five senators was in the South American country; later, in November, it was the visit the Undersecretary for Political Affairs, Victoria Nuland; and in December it was the turn of the Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, and Biden’s special advisor for the Americas, Christopher J. Dodd.

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