They take their bananas very seriously, and to Ecuadoreans, a plátano is the larger banana, often served green and used like a potato. Here in the US, we call them plantains, so in my mind, the cognate lends weight to the Ecuadorean position.

I found it fascinating to learn how many varieties there were: our regular Cavendish banana (called guineo in Ecuador), the tiny yellows (oritos), the reds (manzano), and of course the plátanos, which are a staple in Ecuadorean meals. I'm sure most of us never knew there were so many varieties.