NEW FRIENDS
Over the course of 2019, the government has been engaged in a PR whirlwind, making contact with foreign leaders, investors, and other representatives as part of its efforts to present a new face for Ecuador—one open and ready for business. Accordingly, we are witnessing the reconfiguration of the country's diplomatic relations and the establishment of new alliances that are set to back up its new economic direction. Regionally, the country has signaled its departure from the leftist Latin American bloc via withdrawal from the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), which counts Venezuela and Bolivia as core members. The organization’s headquarters, a stateof-the-art building commissioned under the previous administration and located in Quito, will soon serve as a university for indigenous people. This rift has been linked to a rapprochement with other countries. Special attention needs to be given to the US-Ecuador relationship, which has improved after a decade of bickering. After resolving issues over the country’s former support for Julian Assange, talks on a trade agreement are now underway and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has returned to Ecuador after a five-year absence. High-level visits have also taken place, including one by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to President Lenín Moreno in July 2019. New regional strategic allies include Colombia, Peru, and Chile. Ecuador is also set to join the Pacific Alliance, a neoliberal bloc that many classify as Ecuador’s natural neighborhood. On top of that, a new broader regional integration initiative called Prosur is taking shape on the continent. Considered as a right-wing countermove to the weakening leftwing UNASUR, President Moreno was one of the main supporters of its creation. This shift in outlook has also been marked by the support of Ecuador for the Lima Group, members of which advocate for a peaceful solution to the Venezuelan crisis. Regarding multilateral cooperation, Ecuador has renewed its relations with various institutions. A loan agreement was signed with the IMF for USD4.2 billion, and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) held its 2019 annual meeting in Ecuador’s main business hub Guayaquil. The IDB is contributing USD6 billion in financing, as are the World Bank, the Development Bank of Latin America, the Latin-American Reserve Fund, and the French Development Agency. Challenges remain, however, over the capacity of the country to consolidate its current path and guarantee the continuity of its foreign policy, regardless of who is in charge.