Eduardo González
The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, received yesterday at the La Moncloa complex the President of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, before whom he reiterated his “strongest condemnation of the violent acts of criminal groups” in the South American country and to whom he offered “the “Spain’s willingness” to deepen security relations, both bilaterally and within the framework of the European Union.
Daniel Noboa is in Spain for the presentation of Ecuador as a guest country at the 44th edition of the International Tourism Fair (Fitur) and, in fact, his day in Madrid began with his participation in the opening of the fair, in which coincided with King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia. The attendance of the Ecuadorian president was in doubt until the last minute due to the security crisis that his country is suffering due to the wave of violence by organized crime.
During the meeting in Moncloa, Pedro Sánchez conveyed to the President of Ecuador Spain’s support for the country’s democratic institutions, a support that he already expressed in a telephone call on January 11 after the escalation of violence that the country suffered, and he once again expressed the “strongest condemnation of the violent acts of criminal groups.”
He also conveyed his solidarity with the victims and their families, as well as with all the “brother people of Ecuador,” and offered “Spain’s willingness to deepen relations in matters of security, both at the bilateral level and within the framework of cooperation with the European Union,” according to Moncloa.
Additionally, the two leaders talked about common challenges, such as climate change and ecological transition, and about Ecuador’s participation as a guest country in Fitur. In this sense, the two presidents agreed that the two countries stand out internationally for their great tourist attraction and can collaborate jointly in promoting environmentally sustainable and quality tourism.
Before his meeting with Sánchez, Noboa was received by the King at the La Zarzuela Palace. The meeting was also attended by the Secretary of State for Ibero-America and the Caribbean and Spanish in the World, Susana Sumelzo; the Minister of Tourism of Ecuador, Niels Olsen; and the chargé d’affaires of the Ecuadorian Embassy in Spain, María Verónica Peña Montero.
The president of Ecuador will speak today at the Spain-Ecuador Business Meeting, which will take place at the CEOE headquarters in Madrid and in which the Minister of Economy, Commerce and Business, Carlos Body, will also participate; the president of the CEOE, Antonio Garamendi; the president of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, José Luis Bonet; and three members of the Ecuadorian Government: Sade Fritschi, Minister of the Environment, Water and Ecological Transition; Niels Olsen, Minister of Tourism; and Sonsoles García, Minister of Production, Foreign Trade, Investments and Fisheries.
