Ecuador negotiates to receive 300 refugees from the United States each year

Ecuador is negotiating a new program with the government of President Donald Trump to receive 300 people each year with refugee status in that country, who have not committed crimes or have health problems.

The information was released by Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld. Without going into details, the minister made the announcement two days before the arrival in Quito of the head of U.S. diplomacy, Marco Rubio, at a time when the governments of both countries are strengthening ties.

"It will be a limited program that responds only to refugees of certain nationalities who do not have any type of criminal record and who have certain characteristics such as good health," Sommerfeld told Ecuavisa channel in statements obtained by AFP.

According to the Chancellor, her nation is capable of receiving some 300 refugees a year sent by the United States, although she specified that the agreement is different from the existing one with El Salvador. The president of that country, Nayib Bukele, agreed to imprison migrants deported by the United States in exchange for money.

Sommerfeld also admitted that "there is (the) possibility" that Washington will install a military base in Ecuadorian territory. "We have been working on it and we hope in a prudent time to be able to give good news," she said.