President Drops Arms Deal with U.S. Due To Ukraine Weapon Shipment Plan

Eko Hot Blog reports that in a surprising move, Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa announced the cancellation of a deal to exchange outdated Soviet weapons for new arms from the United States. The decision came after Noboa learned that the old weaponry was intended to be sent to Ukraine, a revelation that raised concerns about the country’s involvement in international conflicts.

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President Noboa, grappling with rising security challenges and the identification of 22 criminal gangs as terrorist organizations, expressed his dissatisfaction with the proposed arrangement. He previously disclosed plans for Washington to supply Ecuador with $200 million worth of new weapons in exchange for what he termed ‘junk’ munitions.

Criticism of the arms exchange came from an unexpected source: Russia. The Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, referencing their own conflict with Ukraine, voiced disapproval of the deal earlier this month. Noboa acknowledged Russia’s stance, emphasizing the importance of maintaining relations with Ecuador’s third-largest commercial partner.

The cancellation comes amidst ongoing discussions between Ecuador and the United States regarding cooperation on security matters, marked by visits from several high-ranking U.S. officials in recent weeks.

In a tangentially related development, Russia recently lifted a ban on banana imports from five Ecuadorean businesses.

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The ban had been imposed citing sanitary

concerns with the shipments, illustrating the complex interplay of economic and geopolitical factors in the region.

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