▁foreign ▁policy ▁and ▁international ▁relations ▁of ▁E cuador . ▁ ▁E cuador ▁is ▁a ▁found ing ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁UN ▁and ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁many ▁of ▁its ▁special ized ▁ag encies ; ▁it ▁is ▁also ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Organ ization ▁of ▁American ▁States ▁( O AS ), ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁many ▁regional ▁groups , ▁including ▁the ▁Rio ▁Group , ▁the ▁Latin ▁American ▁Econom ic ▁System , ▁the ▁Latin ▁American ▁Energy ▁Organ ization , ▁the ▁Latin ▁American ▁Integr ation ▁Association , ▁and ▁the ▁And e an ▁P act . ▁ ▁E cuador ' s ▁principal ▁foreign - policy ▁object ives ▁have ▁tradition ally ▁included ▁defense ▁of ▁its ▁territory ▁from ▁both ▁external ▁ag gression ▁and ▁internal ▁sub version ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁support ▁for ▁the ▁object ives ▁of ▁the ▁UN ▁and ▁the ▁O AS . ▁Although ▁E cuador ' s ▁foreign ▁relations ▁were ▁tradition ally ▁centered ▁on ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁E cuador ' s ▁membership ▁in ▁the ▁Organ ization ▁of ▁Pet role um ▁Ex port ing ▁Count ries ▁( O PE C ) ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁allowed ▁E cuador ian ▁leaders ▁to ▁exercise ▁somewhat ▁greater ▁foreign ▁policy ▁aut onomy . ▁E cuador ' s ▁foreign ▁policy ▁goals ▁under ▁the ▁Bor ja ▁government ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁were ▁more ▁divers ified ▁than ▁those ▁of ▁the ▁Feb res ▁Cord ero ▁administration , ▁which ▁closely ▁identified ▁with ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁For ▁example , ▁E cuador ▁was ▁more ▁active ▁in