Resumo

MENDOZA ROMERO, Edgar Abraham; GONZALEZ TORO, Angie Paulette  e  SOTOMAYOR PEREIRA, Jorge Guido. Free trade zones as a driver of economic recovery in Latin America. A vision for Ecuador. Telos [online]. 2025, vol.27, n.3, pp.951-961.  Epub 15-Jan-2026. ISSN 2343-5763.  https://doi.org/10.36390/telos273.15.

Free trade zones have become strategic tools across Latin America to attract foreign direct investment, enhance international trade, and stimulate regional economic development. This study examines their impact in several countries within the region and evaluates their implementation in the Ecuadorian context. A qualitative research design was applied, combining documentary analysis of academic and institutional sources with semi-structured interviews involving key stakeholders from both the public and private sectors. Findings indicate that, despite offering tax incentives, logistical advantages, and regulatory flexibility, free trade zones in Ecuador have shown limited effectiveness due to legal uncertainty, infrastructure deficits, rigid labor regulations, and weak integration with local production systems. The research also highlights a lack of technology transfer and insufficient alignment with circular economy frameworks. In contrast, countries like Colombia, Costa Rica, and Dominican Republic have developed well-established institutional frameworks that position their free trade zones as competitive and sustainable economic hubs. The study concludes that Ecuador must undertake a comprehensive institutional reform, foster productive clusters, improve logistical infrastructure, and embrace innovation-driven approaches to fully leverage the potential of free trade zones for economic recovery and structural transformation.

Palavras-chave : Free trade zones; economic recovery; foreign direct investment; competitiveness, Ecuador.

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