🙌🏼 (This is really encouraging - Good News for Ecuador) 😄
20 APR 2021- 'Lasso and Duque agree to accelerate Ecuador's entry into the Pacific Alliance-

"The president-elect, Guillermo Lasso, requested the support of the head of state of Colombia, Iván Duque, for the “immediate entry” of Ecuador to the Pacific Alliance, a trade integration mechanism of which Chile, Mexico and Peru are also part.

Lasso and Duque offered a joint statement on Tuesday, April 20, 2021, at the conclusion of a meeting at the Casa de Nariño, headquarters of the Executive of the neighboring country, in Bogotá. “Ecuador is a country that requires the support of Colombia for an immediate full-fledged entry into the Pacific Alliance.

We believe in free trade, we believe in economic openness, we believe in free transit of people, free transit of capital, free transit of merchandise and we will do everything necessary so that in our government we can achieve that economic opening of Ecuador to the world, and the world's investment in Ecuador, "said Lasso.

Duque responded that he "deeply values" Lasso's visit to Bogotá, which becomes the president-elect's first international tour, just nine days after the ballot that made him the successor of Lenín Moreno.

“Today we address issues of great importance for our countries. In the first place, I believe that we also ratify the commitment to see Ecuador as a full member of the Pacific Alliance, ”said the Colombian President. "In my capacity as president pro tempore of the Pacific Alliance," said Duque, "I reiterate not only the interest, but all the help from Colombia so that during this pro tempore Presidency we can guarantee Ecuador's access to this important alliance."

Duque referred to Lasso as "a great friend" and congratulated him for the "valuable victory" in the elections of last April 11, as well as for "his convictions that he has always had in his defense of democracy throughout the hemisphere." .

Lasso arrived in Bogotá this noon accompanied by his wife, María de Lourdes Alcívar, and Juan Carlos Holguín, Iván Correa Calderón, Heinz Moeller Gilbert, Aparicio Caicedo and Marcelo Hurtado Lomas, who are part of the transition team. For the meeting with Lasso, Duque was accompanied by his vice president, Marta Lucía Ramírez, and the main heads of his Cabinet such as the Chancellor, the Minister of the Interior, the Minister of Defense, the Minister of Commerce and Tourism.

During this meeting, which was given in a reserved manner and included a lunch for the delegation, they also addressed issues of cooperation in matters of security, as well as democracy and freedom. Lasso is expected to return to Ecuador this Tuesday afternoon.

The Pacific Alliance is a Latin American trade bloc, formed by Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru, which all border the Pacific Ocean. These countries have come together to form an area of integration with the purpose of ensuring complete freedom in the movement of goods, services, capital, and people. Together, these four countries have a combined population of 210 million people and about 35% of the region's GDP- 💵🛢💸💰⛽️

https://www.elcomercio.com/actualidad/lasso-duque-acuerdo-alianza-pacifico.html