Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the National Order of Merit in the Grade of Grand Cross Ceremony

MODERATOR:  (Via interpreter) Good afternoon.  With your authorization, Mr. President, we will begin with the ceremony of the decoration at the grade of Grand Cross for the Order of National Merit to Mr. Marco Rubio, Secretary of State of the United States of America; reading the executive decree of the conferral of the decoration of the Order of Merit, the order of Grand Cross, to Mr. Marco Rubio, Secretary of State of the United States. 

FOREIGN MINISTER KURY:  (Via interpreter) Executive decree 492, issued by Mr. Daniel Noboa Azín, President of the Republic: Considering that according to Article 416 of the constitution of the republic establish that the interest of the presidents of the republic will respond to the interest of the international community, and hereby decrees that integration, cooperation, and solidarity; that with (inaudible) 391 of September 17, 1920 – 2026  issued for the Order of Merit, created of – in this year, is of Article 6 of (inaudible) 0924 of 17 – of September 17, 2026 – determined that Mr. President of the Republic, through the Ministry of the Foreign Affairs, establish the way the conferral of decoration must be done.   

That executive decree of September 17, 2026 established that within the numerals of Article 26 have to be the minimal requirements for the conferral of decoration without prejudice; that in each case the Ministry of Foreign Affairs determines the possibility of its conferral according to the merits and the background of each candidate.  Article 8 of executive decree 2026 – of 17 September 2026, establish the reasons that are not established within these numerals will be decided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that is contained within the list above, according to the order and merits.   

This is an order established by the Ecuadorian state for people with a high trajectory of work and with the cooperation and friendship relations with international community in benefits of security, development, and the security of its peoples. 

Mr. Marco Antonio Rubio, Secretary of State of the United States of America, has been providing distinguished services and has done high commitment to the bonds of friendship with the Republic of Ecuador and the United States; contributed within his high functions the consolidation of a bilateral relation based on trust, cooperation, and the achievement of mutual interest; and also strengthening bilateral cooperation to face, in a coordinated way, threats coming from the transnational organized crime, in particularly narco-traffic, narco-terrorism, and networks linked to illicit economies and their funds, thus fighting against the insecurity for these institutionally and development of the Republic of Ecuador.  His efforts for strengthening bilateral cooperation and security, strengthen institutional capabilities, and fight against illicit economies has contributed to have mutual agenda that has transcended these national borders, reaffirming the commitment of both countries for security, peace, stability, and the benefits of its peoples.   

And within the attributions conferred within the articles above mentioned, of article of September 17, 2026 decrees – hereby decrees to confer decoration to merit in the Order of Grand Cross to Mr. Marco Rubio, Secretary of State of the United States of America, for his distinguished services and his strengthening of the links of friendship, cooperation between the Republic of Ecuador and the United States of America. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is here charged to execute this executive decree and the organization of the political meeting that is here, and this decree will enter into force without prejudice of its publication in official registry; given at the National Palace on September 9th, 2026, signed by Mr. Daniel Noboa Azín. 

(Applause.) 

MODERATOR:  (Via interpreter) Thank you, Mr. Minister of Foreign Affairs.  Hereby the imposition of the decoration in the Order of National Merit, in the grade of Grand Cross, to Mr. Marco Rubio, Secretary of State of the United States of America, imposed by Mr. Daniel Noboa Azín, Constitutional President of the Republic. 

(The medal was presented.) 

MODERATOR:  (Via interpreter) Now, words of Mr. Marco Rubio, Secretary of State of the United States of America. 

SECRETARY RUBIO:  (Via interpreter) First, thank you so much. This is a great honor for me. I’m going to go back to Washington wearing this. I’m honored to come back to visit all of you here. I was here recently and the relations with the United States and Ecuador have improved in the last years and specifically in the last three or four years, the cooperation we have on the issue of security and on the issue of prosperity, because both issues are important. 

However, the main goal of the government, it’s the security of this people, and when we see threats to its security, we have to work, and your president’s doing so in an incredible way.  And we have seen that in every single work that we have done together.  We have the same principles, and that is why we will continue to see a strong commitment on part of President Trump and our administration to help you all to continue working. 

At the same time, security is space for prosperity, that wants every government to have prosperity for its people, that have economic opportunities based on the help of the presidents and the authorities.  So let us all know that we are here, again, at the second time, and it’s the third time that I’ve met with the president – once before in the United States – to continue showing the cooperation and the links that are between our two countries. 

And I once again thank you so much for this, and thank you, all of you, for being here, for receiving me and working with me and my team.  And I don’t need a prize for this work; however, it is great honor to receive this.  So thank you so much.  (Applause.) 

MODERATOR:  (Via interpreter) Thank you, Mr. Secretary.  Now, the speech of Mr. Daniel Noboa Azin, Constitutional President of the Republic. 

PRESIDENT NOBOA:  (Via interpreter) Mr. Secretary of State, in the name of the Ecuadoran people, it is the honor of us to confer the decoration in the Order of Grand Cross to the merit, the equivalent of the presidential conferral decoration in the United States.  It’s not only for issue of security (inaudible) and policies and social works, but also in the culture.  The details of – I’m always happy of both decorations, and in this last part, I would like to highlight, because what we will continue doing with Mr. Secretary Rubio is take care in preserving the culture of the American continent, saving its values, and giving peace not only for the United States but all the entire region. 

With this same strength and drive with which he’s working in his congressional hearings, he goes through every country to improve the livelihood of the peoples looking for security, safety, and also helping the United States to have a real connection not only at the level of governments but with its people.  That makes him a different secretary of what’s normally.  He’s special.  Moreover, that is known worldwide, that he’s solved many problems that are hard to solve.  There he is, Mr. Marco Rubio, solving each problem, knowing that even if that problem doesn’t have a solution, Mr. Marco Rubio will find a solution.  (Applause.)   

He has led very differently of what’s normal.  That makes him to have a good relation of the United States to the world and highlights also his roots and the connection with Latin America.  We, from the part of Ecuador, we are always thankful with his work, his service, and we have achieved working hand in hand with the United States to provide more peace, health, and also more liberties, not only for our peoples but also for the entire continent. 

Once again, I would like to repeat that it’s an honor for me to grant this decoration, the highest that Ecuador has here in Ecuador, and I hope to have him many times here in Ecuador visiting us, and also accompanying us with this fight to change the continent, and it’s for once, for all.  Thank you so much.  (Applause.)