JNS
Jerusalem will provide intelligence to help in South American country’s war on drug cartels.
The Ecuadorian National Assembly is launching an Israel Allies Caucus this summer, strengthening ties with the Jewish state at a time of stark foreign policy divisions in South America.
Sunday's announcement comes a day before Argentine President Javier Milei is slated to arrive in Israel for a solidarity visit that will include delivering an address to the Knesset plenum in Jerusalem on Wednesday.
In contrast, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva continues to censure Israel on the world stage, including in a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Thursday.
The Ecuador Israel Allies Caucus, which will be launched in August and consists of 10 lawmakers in the National Assembly in Quito, aims to strengthen the countries' growing bilateral ties, particularly in the field of security cooperation.
“The creation of the Ecuador Israel Allies Caucus marks a significant step toward deepening the relationship between Ecuador and Israel,” Ecuadorian MP Andrés Castillo, who will chair the group, said in a statement on Sunday.
“The support of our legislators reflects strong backing within the National Assembly for President Daniel Noboa’s commitment to strengthening ties between his administration and the State of Israel,” Castillo added.
The Ecuadorian caucus members, who join a network of scores of pro-Israel parliamentary groups around the globe, have signed a Declaration of Solidarity and Friendship with the State of Israel, reaffirming Ecuador’s historic support for Israel, including its 1947 vote at the United Nations for the establishment of the Jewish state.
Israel and Ecuador established diplomatic ties in 1950 and have maintained strong ties in the last 75 years.
Noboa visited Israel in May when he opened an innovation center in Jerusalem and met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog.
Ecuador’s leader subsequently said that Israel and the United Arab Emirates will provide intelligence to aid in the South American country’s war on drug cartels.
Castillo told JNS on Sunday that “in addition to the bilateral meeting with the Israeli government, conditions are being created so that our security forces can learn from and take advantage of Israel’s expertise in security matters.”
The security agreements that have been reached will go into effect “in the coming days,” he said.
Leopoldo Martinez, Latin America director for the Washington, D.C.-based Israel Allies Foundation, said, “We see the formation of this new caucus, whose members have recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, as a meaningful step toward strengthening diplomatic ties between the two nations.
“It is a strong expression of Ecuador’s alignment with the values shared by Israel, especially during these challenging times, and will contribute to confronting the rise of antisemitism and terrorism that is re-emerging across the globe.”
The Israel Allies Foundation spearheads faith-based diplomacy through its ever-growing parliamentary network of nearly 60 caucuses across six continents and encompassing more than 1,500 legislators. Last month, Austria was the latest country to launch its Israel parliamentary caucus.
"At a time when Israel faces rising hostility and antisemitism is spreading globally, Ecuador’s stand for truth and solidarity is both courageous and deeply meaningful," said Josh Reinstein, president of the Israel Allies Foundation. “We are proud to see leaders in Latin America take such a bold step in defense of Israel and our shared Judeo-Christian values.”
