Diplomatic tensions between Ecuador and Russia over military equipment threaten banana exports
QUITO, Ecuador –
A diplomatic rift between Ecuador and Russia appeared to accentuate over the weekend after the European nation determined to ban some imports of bananas from Ecuador.
The two nations have been at loggerheads lately after Ecuador determined to switch a few of its previous Russian navy tools to the United States, in change for US$200 million in new navy gear.
On Saturday, Russia’s federal company for veterinary and phytosanitary controls introduced it was banning imports from 5 Ecuadorian banana corporations, claiming {that a} illness had been present in earlier shipments of their fruits.
Ecuador is the world’s main banana exporter, with gross sales price round US$3.5 billion in 2022. Around a fifth of its annual gross sales goes to Russia.
Russia’s resolution to ban some banana imports got here after President Daniel Noboa introduced in January that Ecuador would switch a number of tons of previous Russian-made navy tools to the United States.
Noboa mentioned the tools was now not usable, and described it as “scrap metal” that will get replaced with new tools wanted to battle the drug gangs which have been terrorizing the nation.
Russia’s international ministry protested Noboa’s resolution, saying that it violated a contract which stipulated that Ecuador couldn’t promote the tools to 3rd events with out Russia’s consent.
Carlos Estarellas a former Ecuadorian vice minister for international affairs mentioned that Russia’s resolution to ban some banana imports might be in retaliation for the choice to ship the previous navy equipement to the U.S.
“One would hope that this impasse can be solved through diplomatic talks,” Estarellas mentioned.
Richard Salazar, the director of ACORBANEC, certainly one of Ecuador’s major associations of banana exporters, mentioned that he was “surprised” by Russia’s “drastic” resolution, although he added that at the least 15 corporations proceed to export bananas to Russia.
“It’s a very important market for us,” he mentioned, “and a market that would be difficult to replace.”
Salazar mentioned his affiliation hadn’t been formally notified of the ban, however was looking for a gathering with authorities in Russia to handle the issue and attempt to get the ban overturned.
