Faced with a request from Alberto Ferández, Ecuador will analyze whether it resumes ties with Nicolás Maduro's Venezuela

The President of Ecuador, Guillermo Lasso, paid an official visit to Argentina, where he met with his counterpart, Argentine President Alberto Fernández, who received him at the Casa Rosada, the seat of that country's government. In a joint press conference, Fernández referred to the recovery of diplomatic ties with Venezuela and called on the nations of the region to “review their diplomatic relations with Venezuela so as not to leave it alone.”

“As a first step, Argentina wants to regain its full diplomatic link. It is a step that we are taking, and I really call on all the countries of Latin America to review it, because Venezuela has had a difficult time,” Fernández said.

In response to the request of the Argentine Head of State, Lasso, whose government has recognized Juan Guaidó and not Nicolás Maduro, he said that his administration will consider and analyze the proposal made by Fernández: “We are not ready to make a decision yet, but we are very pleased with the call of President Fernández”. The Ecuadorian president also said that the Andean country respects the diplomatic rapprochement between the United States and Venezuela.

Fernández, who is also the pro tempore president of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), indicated that “it is time to help Venezuela, in dialogue, fully recover its normal functioning as a country and as a society” and asserted that this will only be possible if the countries of the region regain their ties with Venezuela from Maduro: “We're not going to make it if we leave her alone, without ambassadors and without our attention.”

A week ago, in an interview with Infobae, Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Juan Carlos Holguín, who also accompanied Lasso on his trip to Argentina, indicated that “Ecuador has been firm in expressing its appreciation to the government of Juan Guaidó. We view the Venezuelan case with concern since we are directly affected, especially by the sad exodus that exists of Venezuelan citizens to our country. Today there are already more than 500,000 in a stable way in Ecuador and almost 200,000 more who are a floating population going south, towards Chile or Peru.”

Since the beginning of his term, almost a year ago, Guillermo Lasso recognized the government of Juan Guaidó. The former president of Ecuador, Lenín Moreno, also supported Guaido. Even the assumption ceremony of Lasso was attended by opposition leader Leopoldo López.

However, the case of Argentina is different. Former Argentine President Mauricio Macri recognized Guaidó, but the Fernández administration, Argentina has supported the reports of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, on abuses in Venezuela. “Bachelet intervened, worked alongside the Venezuelan government. Many of these problems have been dissipating over time. We are seeing how, based on the agreements reached by the Contact Group (European Union and Latin American countries), Venezuela has progressed in its electoral process,” argued the Argentine president.

Lasso, who arrived in Buenos Aires on Sunday, is on a two-day official visit, which began in Argentina, where the authorities of both countries discussed several issues of bilateral and regional interest. Security, migration, organized crime and the fight against corruption were part of the agenda of talks.

This Tuesday, Lasso will continue with an official visit to Uruguay, where he will meet Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou. As part of the agenda, Heads of State will exchange experiences on risk management, natural disasters, combating child malnutrition, promoting micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. The authorities will also discuss issues related to transparency and the fight against corruption, as well as review issues of trade and bilateral cooperation.

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