Business & Economy

Russia warns Ecuador of consequences of delivering soviet weapons to US

Moscow, Feb 7 (EFE).- Russia says the decision of the Ecuadorian government to deliver Soviet weapons to the United States will damage the relations between Moscow and Quito, the spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova, warned Wednesday.

“If Russian-made military equipment is transferred to a third party, Ecuador will violate its international obligations, and this could lead to negative consequences for our further bilateral cooperation,” the diplomat said at a briefing.

Moscow conveyed to Quito its position regarding these military supplies, highlighting specific points of agreements and contracts that the South American nation would violate by exporting them to the US.

Tensions between the two countries escalated after the decision of the Ecuadorian president, Daniel Noboa, to trade Russian military equipment (considered scrap by Quito) for US military supplies valued at around 200 million dollars.

As a result, the Russian phytosanitary inspection (Rosselkhoznadzor) last week requested the suspension of exports from five banana companies in Ecuador, as warning a to Quito.

According to Rosselkhoznadzor’s statement, the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock of Ecuador, Franklin Palacios, was sent a request to temporarily suspend the certification of banana exports of several companies from Feb. 5 due to the presence of fruit flies.

The list includes companies with shipments with the highest number of violations: Agzulasa Cia, Don Carlos Fruit S.A., Agroaereo Fruit Export S.A., Asociación de Producción Agropecuaria de el oro, and Comercializadora de Banana.

The press service of the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision (Rosselkhoznadzor) told the Russian news agency Interfax that the Ecuadorian side is responsible for the suspension of certification.

Without the certificate, Ecuadorian exporters cannot send their products.

According to the Russian phytosanitary authorities, if the Ecuadorian side does not take effective measures against the banana pest, Rosselkhoznadzor will be forced to move to the next stage of restrictive measures.

The fruit fly (Megaselia scalaris Loew) is a pest that infests a wide range of foods and is a vector for cholera.

Ecuador is the main supplier of bananas to Russia, accounting for 98% of banana imports. Russia is the second largest destination market for Ecuadorian bananas, with 1.37 million tons in 2023, representing 22.85% of the total, surpassed only by the EU.

In addition, Rosselkhoznadzor asked the Ecuadorian authorities to stop certifying carnations (Dianthus caryophyllus) from this South American country due to western flower thrips presence (Frankliniella occidentalis), another dangerous pest.

In the midst of escalating tensions with Ecuador, its primary banana supplier, Russia has initiated purchases of bananas and papayas from India. EFE

mos/dgp/mcd

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