After your trip to ChinaPeruvian President Dina Boluarte received her Ecuadorian counterpart Daniel Noboa at the Palace on Thursday to hold the Presidential Meeting and 15th Binational Cabinet Peru-Ecuador, a political-diplomatic dialogue mechanism that has been held since 2007 with the purpose of strengthening bilateral relations, and which includes the participation of ministers from both countries. The last edition was held in 2022 in Loja, Ecuador.
The six thematic axes of the working meeting were security and defense, economic promotion, sustainable mining development, environmental management, social inclusion and strengthening of transit, and cross-border transportation. Both heads of state elaborated in their speeches on the need to improve the security of their people. “We will discuss the ways in which both countries can redouble their efforts to effectively and coordinately confront transnational organized crime, which requires agile and effective solutions,” said Boluarte.
Noboa, for his part, stressed that the peace that has existed between Peru and Ecuador for three decades has allowed them to open a path of progress in various fields. “I know that we will continue firmly on this same path. The new Ecuador that we are building extends its arms to the development and prosperity that we will achieve by working together to defeat shared threats such as insecurity, poverty and unemployment,” said the man who is the youngest president in the history of Ecuador, who will soon turn 37 in November.
At the end of the work day, in which the ministers had a very active participation, Boluarte and Noboa signed the Presidential Declaration of Lima, which includes 49 points to improve the quality of life of both populations on both sides of the border. They renewed their commitment to jointly combat illicit drug trafficking, and will therefore convene the VII Meeting of the Peru-Ecuador Joint Commission on Drug Control in the second half of the year. They recognized the importance of environmentally sustainable and socially responsible mining and the need to adapt it to international standards. They also highlighted the start of electrical interconnection works through the laying of a 500 kW line, which represents a new stage in bilateral and regional economic integration.
Regarding mining, Dina Boluarte announced a project to process Ecuadorian hydrocarbons at the Talara Refinery on the northern coast of Peru. Greater energy integration with less environmental impact and good practices is on the horizon. They also reiterated the urgency of protecting and conserving the environment of cross-border watersheds, particularly the Puyango-Tumbes basin. All this joint effort, they said, will have a positive impact on the tourism sector. Finally, they announced that the next edition of the Binational Cabinet will take place on Ecuadorian soil.
This bilateral meeting has been a relief for Boluarte, who faces various questions such as Rolexgate or having been absent to undergo cosmetic surgery without having announced it. But she also maintains an indifferent relationship with the press. Since April 5, Pedro Castillo’s successor has not answered questions at official events. A few days ago, in her reappearance after her trip to Asia, she questioned journalists, accusing them of spreading biased news and not reporting on the Government’s progress, such as the recent signing of a contract for the construction of high-complexity hospitals in the regions of Ancash and Piura. “Repeat this in your cameras, in your microphones, and I am convinced that more Peruvians will be able to find out about the good things that this Government is doing,” she claimed.
The Peruvian Press Council has spoken out against the president’s silence, which has lasted for more than three months. “Every public official has the obligation to be accountable to the citizens (…) keeping silent in such an important position directly affects the right to be informed,” they said in a statement. Some ministers have hinted that the lawyer will resume contact and make statements before the Fiestas Patrias at the end of this month. For now, tempers remain high.
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