Biden Should Start Trade Talks With Ecuador, Uruguay, Lawmakers Say

Two lawmakers asked the Biden administration this week to begin negotiations on trade deals with Ecuador and Uruguay. Trade agreements with both countries would “capitalize on the bipartisan momentum and success” of USMCA, said Sens. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., and Rob Portman, R-Ohio.

“While the United States has Trade and Investment Framework Agreements with both countries, we do not have a trade agreement with either,” the senators wrote in a Dec. 20 letter to the U.S. trade representative and secretary of state. “Pursuing comprehensive agreements with each country would not only offer improved market access for U.S. exporters, but also facilitate greater collaboration on labor rights, environmental sustainability, anti-corruption measures, inclusive development, and policies benefiting small and medium sized enterprises.”

A State Department spokesperson said the U.S. has a "dynamic agenda in Uruguay" and plans on "continuing to expand our strong trade relationship." Cooperation between the U.S. and Ecuador "continues to expand and deepen in a variety of areas," the person said Dec. 21, adding that bilateral trade in goods between the two countries totaled more than $13.1 billion in 2021. A spokesperson for the USTR didn’t comment.