MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Ecuador wants to become full member of the Pacific Alliance

On 27 September a Celac summit is scheduled in Mexico, when president Lasso should meet his future partners from Colombia, Peru and Chile

Ecuador has requested to become a full member of the Pacific Alliance, an issue that was discussed by the country's president Guillermo Lasso during a recent visit to his Mexican peer Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Mexico allegedly announced its full support for Ecuador to join the four countries, Mexico, Colombia, Peru and Chile block, considered the most dynamic of the Americas.

The issue was again addressed during the meeting of foreign ministers from the Community of Latin American and Caribbean states, CELAC, and received full confirmation following a round of talks between Mexican foreign minister Marcelo Ebarad with Ecuador's Mauricio Montalvo.

Later this month, 27 September, CELAC will be holding a summit in Mexico when the chair of the group will be handed to Argentina.

Ecuador is currently an associate member of the Pacific Alliance, but full membership was one of president Lasso's reactivation strategy announcements when he took office last May after a much disputed election.

Although the Celac summit will be addressing regional cooperation, production and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines, political governance and integration, it should be a good opportunity, on the sidelines, for Ecuadorean president Lasso to meet with his future partners from Peru, Colombia and Chile.

Ecuador not only wants to adopt actions to help address post-pandemic scenarios but also “an adequate strategic insertion in the international context”, according to statements from foreign minister Montalvo.