Ambassador of Mexico on trade agreement: Perhaps a product can enter a little later, but it does not mean that it will never enter

For more than 34 years, Ecuador and Mexico have had a trade agreement in force, signed on October 6, 1987, which is now being renegotiated. During a visit to Guayaquil, the Mexican ambassador to Ecuador, Raquel Serur, spoke with Diario EL UNIVERSO about the expectations regarding the negotiations, how Mexican companies contribute to the Ecuadorian economy and new services of the embassy.

How is the commercial exchange between Ecuador and Mexico?

The exchange between Ecuador and Mexico is intense, it has been throughout the last ten years, there are many Mexican companies based here in Guayaquil for quite some time, that have a lot of prestige and that Ecuadorian consumers are familiar with, a For example, the one we visited yesterday (Tuesday, April 26) is called Tonicorp.

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Are these visits to companies with Mexican capital going to continue?

We have not been able to come to Guayaquil (due to the pandemic) and we wanted to visit the companies, see what their needs are, bring the embassy closer to the companies and at the same time see, get to know and be surprised by the social programs they have with the communities, for example, the Bimbo company, which we also visited; We visited Claro, Mabe and Tonicorp. These four companies, each in their own way, with their projects, have social projects for linking with the Ecuadorian community and it has been interesting to meet them.

Ecuador and Mexico are one round of negotiations away from closing a trade agreement, what are your expectations as ambassador?

I think it will be very beneficial for both countries to increase and bring Ecuador closer to Mexico and Mexico to Ecuador. In that sense, the Mexican companies that are already working here are going to continue working, perhaps with better conditions, depending on what the treaty establishes, this is what is being negotiated and this is what Ecuadorians and the Mexicans when it is signed; I understand that the free trade agreement is very advanced and that very soon authorities from the Ministry of Economy (of Mexico) will come to finalize the agreement and be able to sign it.

A few weeks ago it became known that Mexican fish farmers asked their government to leave Ecuadorian shrimp out of the agreement. What is true?

These are media things that happen when they are about to sign an agreement. What exactly is it, what is the situation in this shrimp case, we will not know until it is signed, just what they are negotiating and many times these media issues have to do with private interests that are not necessarily government interests; So, the governments are reaching an agreement and there will be sectors that may enter later, or perhaps they will enter immediately, we don’t know, they are negotiating and the negotiation continues until the last moment.

Once the agreement is signed, will the activities of the embassy multiply in Ecuador?

We hope that they do not multiply because as we are, we are at the limit, but in any case we see it with very good eyes, I would be delighted if it happens, that I am the acting ambassador when the treaty is signed, because this, I repeat, benefits the two countries, I have seen it when Mexico signed the free trade agreement with the United States more than 30 years ago, there was, as there is in Ecuador, a lot of expectation of what is going to happen, it is going to do us good, it is going to do wrong etc.

And what have you seen in these 30 years?

What I have seen in these 30 years is that it has been enormously beneficial for Mexico, we were afraid, compared to the United States, Mexico has much less productive capacity and what happens is that the productive capacity increases, which benefits Mexico, which there are more jobs, etc.; and I feel that these same fears that we had then are the ones they have now (in Ecuador) and what I could say to the entire productive sector (Ecuadorian) is not to be afraid; perhaps at first it will not be the best, for others it will be the best and societies are made up of many elements just as the market is made up of many elements and perhaps a product can enter a little later, but that does not mean that it will not to never enter.

It is not just an agreement, with this the Pacific Alliance is opened to Ecuador.

A requirement to enter the Pacific Alliance is that the country in question has free trade agreements with the countries of the Pacific Alliance, in this case I think that naturally Ecuador being part of this alliance geographically, because once sign with Mexico, because it has already signed with Chile, with Colombia, with Peru and Mexico is missing, and once it signs with Mexico in a natural way, the procedure for joining the Pacific Alliance will flow normally.

The embassy now has a mobile consulate. How does it work?

In that those who work in Quito at the consulate, they travel on a Saturday and Sunday to be able to serve both the Mexican community, which is what we owe ourselves to as an embassy, ​​and the Ecuadorian community by granting visas.

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When will the visits of the mobile consulate be?

Every two months, depending on demand.

Where are they going to settle in Guayaquil?

The mayor of Guayaquil, through the agreement, will provide us with the possibility that (activities) be carried out in the Civil Registry. So, at the Civil Registry, Saturday and Sunday, like this one that just happened (April 23 and 24), we carry out the operations of the consulate.

How large is the Mexican community in Ecuador?

In Ecuador we have approximately 2,000 Mexicans, for us each one is important; and in Guayaquil we have more or less half, 1,000. It is a community that has left its mark here in Guayaquil.

trade exchange

In 2021, Ecuadorian non-oil exports to Mexico reached $161 million, although imports from Mexico far exceeded them with $681 million, resulting in a deficit balance for Ecuador with $520 million. (I)