File photo of Ecuadorian Communications Minister Fernando Alvarez.
Ecuador has rejected US tax relief on hundreds of millions of dollars in trade, amid pressure from Washington to decline asylum for NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.
Ecuadorian Communications Minister Fernando Alvarez said Thursday that the US economic tariff package was Å“a new instrument of blackmail” to pressure Quito into accepting the US policy.
Å“[Ecuador] does not accept threats from anybody, and does not trade in principles, or submit to mercantile interests, as important as they may be…In consequence, Ecuador unilaterally and irrevocably renounces said preferences,” said Alvarez.
American lawmakers are exerting pressure on Ecuador over its position on the NSA whistleblower.
On Wednesday, Senator Bob Menendez, chairman of the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, said that if Ecuador grants asylum to Snowden, he would lead an effort Å“to prevent the renewal of Ecuadorâ„¢s duty-free access” as well as make sure there was Å“no chance for renewal of the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act.”
Under a previous trade agreement, the US provided Ecuador with reduced tax benefits on hundreds of millions of dollars worth of trade in consumer goods including flowers, artichokes and broccoli. Moreover, the US has helped Ecuador in its fight against drugs.
Experts said Ecuador’s asylum consideration for Snowden has threatened its access to the Generalized System of Preferences, which benefits 127 countries.
The Washington Post said on Tuesday that Ecuador was profiting from duty-free trade with the US while criticizing Washingtonâ„¢s policies.
GMA/KA
This article originally appeared on: Press TV