A press release from the Presidency states that ‘although the initiative recognizes the importance of promoting and protecting breastfeeding, inconsistencies and contradictions have been identified in the text that affect the internal coherence of the project’.

The Executive affirmed that breastfeeding is a right that must be guaranteed and promoted, however, it considered that prohibiting the free commercialization of baby formulas is not the solution, as it creates an obstacle that puts the health and nutrition of infants at risk.

In turn, the Secretariat of the program Ecuador Grows Without Child Malnutrition stated that ‘this prohibition would generate illegal markets putting the health of infants at risk’.

Last November, the National Assembly approved the Law that established that breast milk substitutes or supplements must be sold under medical prescription and must carry an indestructible label that adequately informs about their use.

The law, now vetoed, also regulated the promotion and donation of these products in both the public and private sectors.

In theory the law required exclusive breastfeeding because of its numerous benefits for infants, however, its viability would depend on practical problems, such as labor flexibility for mothers.

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