Ecuador considers it “fair” to share with the US the costs of the fight against drug trafficking

The president of Ecuador, William Lassoconsidered Sunday which is “just” share with USA the costs of the fight against drug trafficking, which fights for power in the South American country with blood and fire.

“I think it is fair to share the bill”the president told reporters in the port of Guayaquilshortly before leaving for Washington to meet with his US counterpart, Joe Biden.

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“While it is true (that) the confrontation, the battle takes place here, in the Ecuadorthe beneficiaries are not only Ecuadorian youth and children but also youth and children from USA”he added.

The Lasso government estimates that some 5,000 million dollars are required to confront drug trafficking and the insecurity derived from Ecuadorand has already expressed the “need for support” Biden’s advisor for the Americas, Christopher Dodd, and the US Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, who visited Quito in the last days.

EcuadorLocated between Colombia and Peru, the world’s largest cocaine producers, it wages a war against drug trafficking, which has grown in recent years along with crime.

Ecuadorian authorities seized a record 210 tons of drugs in 2021 and have confiscated more than 170 tons so far this year.

The murder rate in Ecuador It almost doubled last year, closing with 14 murders per 100,000 people, the highest in the decade and already surpassed in 2022.

Lasso, a former right-wing banker who took office in May 2021, said that on Monday with Biden he will discuss “Issues related to democracy, economy and security”.

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“The idea is to position the name of the Ecuador, a country that respects democracy regardless of powers. Leave positioned the need that Ecuador has for support to face the problems of insecurity “.

“We will also talk about economics”he added.

A Ecuador interested in reaching a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with USAits main trading partner, like the one it is about to seal with China.

“We are the only country on the Pacific coast of America that does not have a Free Trade Agreement with the USA. This is important not only in economic matters but to avoid migratory flows by creating employment here”maintained the ruler.

“This will be a subject that we will deal with and address in the most frontal and direct way”he claimed.

The number of interceptions of Ecuadorian migrants at the border with Mexico it has multiplied so far this year, from about 600 in January to more than 5,000 in September, according to Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

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Source: Elcomercio

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I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.