Lula and Noboa speak to ignore ideological difference; petista offers action against crime

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Ecuador President Daniel Noboa defended on Monday, the 18th, that ideological differences should be aside and combined joint actions against regional organized crime, including prisons. The Ecuadorian was received by Lula in the Planalto Palace.

“Political differences should not override the greater objective of building a strong and prosperous region,” said Lula, also emphasizing “respect” and “mutual confidence” between countries. The petista classified the visit as a milestone of the beginning in political, commercial and cultural relations between the countries.

“In a challenging global scenario where rivalries get worse and multilateral institutions are emptied, it takes firmness in defense of our independence. For Brazil, autonomy is synonymous with diversification of partnerships. Ties with Ecuador and other South American neighbors are priority for us,” said Lula.

“The ideological discussions were in the past,” said Noboa. The Ecuadorian defended a continental view of the South American rulers and said it is necessary to end the practice of countries “turning their backs” to each other.

Noboa, who had already praised the political cunning of the Brazilian last year, thanked the warm, friendly reception and even praised Lula’s “honesty”.

The petista had supported his opponent in the elections, the representative of Correism Luisa González, but ignored challenges of fraud thrown from the left and recognized the reelection of the right -wing leader, supported by Donald Trump.

President Lula said Brazil is willing to expand public security cooperation with Ecuador. He announced the sending of a federal police attachment to Quito.

He said that the country is open to go beyond training on financial crimes investigation and participating in arms smug operations and prison activities and coordinating through the Amazon International Police Cooperation Center, based in Manaus.

“It is not necessary to classify criminal organizations such as terrorists, nor violate the sovereignty of alien to combat organized crime,” Lula said, in a reaction to policies of Donald Trump, who defends the classification and ordered the US military to dispatch units to combat Latin American cartels. “We will only be able to combat the criminal networks that spread throughout South America acting together.”

Lula also defended Big Techs’s regulation as a way of acting against crime – another agenda that puts him in shock with the current US government. By decreating a 50% tariff over Brazil’s exports, Trump reacted to Supreme Court investigations that hit American platforms.

“Our societies will be constantly threatened without regulating the big techs. This is the great contemporary challenge of all states. Digital networks should not be lawless land in which it is possible to impose impunity against democracy, incite hatred and violence. Eradicating the sexual exploitation of children and adolescents is a moral imposition and an obligation of public power,” preached the petista.

Noboa said the security situation in Ecuador has become very “problematic” and that it is “a struggle that cannot be struggled alone.” Since 2020, the rate has multiplied and arrived in 2023 to 46 per 100,000 inhabitants, the largest in Latin America.

According to him, the country faces problems common to Brazil and South America, such as drug trafficking, illegal mining and organ and people trafficking, which affect youth and psychologically people. For them they are “inhuman” activities.

Noboa stated that countries should increase the exchange of information and trade and defended road, rail and waterway interconnection roads in the northern region of Brazil, especially Manaus, to the Ecuadorian ports of Manta and Guaiaquil. These roads are part of the strategic project of the Brazilian government, the routes of South American integration.

Lula also suggested balanced the trade balance more, a complaint from Ecuadorians, as in 2024 the exchanges totaled US $ 1.1 billion, being US $ 970 million of Brazilian exports.

Brazil mainly exports vehicles, machinery, medicines and products of paper and pulp industries. And wants to export pork.

On the other hand, Lula said Brazil will reduce barriers and expand purchases of Ecuadorian products. By court order, he promised to reopen the Brazilian market for Ecuadorian banana (starting with the dehydrated and concluding by the end of the year atnight banana risk analysis) and advanced in the resumption of shrimp import.