Relationship dossier
Brazil
Ecuador
Relationship assessment
Modest cooperation, punctuated by a serious 2008 dispute
Brazil toward Ecuador
+15Brazil recalled its ambassador to Ecuador in 2008 after Ecuador expelled Brazilian contractor Odebrecht amid a dispute over a hydroelectric project. Brazil later restored diplomatic engagement.
Ecuador toward Brazil
+15Ecuador expelled Brazilian contractor Odebrecht in 2008 during a dispute over a hydroelectric project, prompting Brazil to recall its ambassador. Ecuador subsequently restored diplomatic engagement with Brazil.
Overall relationship
+15The relationship combines bilateral partnership and restored diplomatic engagement with a substantial 2008 confrontation over the Odebrecht project. The dispute did not define the whole relationship, but it remains a significant counterweight to cooperation.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Brazil and Ecuador have pursued bilateral cooperation, including a strategic partnership, but relations have also experienced significant strain. In 2008, Ecuador expelled Brazilian construction company Odebrecht during a dispute over a hydroelectric project, and Brazil recalled its ambassador. The dispute was followed by a restoration of diplomatic engagement. The relationship is therefore characterized by modest cooperation alongside a notable episode of confrontation.
Areas of tension
- The 2008 dispute over Odebrecht's hydroelectric project and Ecuador's expulsion of the Brazilian contractor.
Key developments
Brazil and Ecuador established a strategic partnership.
Ecuador expelled Brazilian contractor Odebrecht amid a dispute over a hydroelectric project; Brazil recalled its ambassador.
Brazil restored diplomatic engagement with Ecuador after the 2008 dispute.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of bilateral cooperation agreements are unclear.
- The extent of recent government cooperation beyond diplomatic engagement is uncertain.