Economy & Business - May 2022

Unable to advance his investment and tax reforms in congress, Ecuador’s President Guillermo Lasso is attempting to implement his liberalisation agenda from the executive branch. This includes a reinforced emphasis on trade agreements, with bilateral talks currently advancing on four fronts: with China, Mexico, South Korea, and Israel. The government has an ambitious list of at least 10 priority countries for agreements. However, reaching any free trade agreements (FTAs) will depend not only on the administration’s zeal, but also on its counterparts on the other side of the negotiating table and on the extent of domestic opposition.