Colombia announced Thursday that it will apply a 30% tax on a group of products from Ecuador and will suspend the sale of energy to that country, in response to a matching tariff announced the previous day by the government of Ecuadorian Daniel Noboa.
The escalating trade dispute between the South American neighbors follows a public protest by Noboa regarding a more than $850 million trade deficit with Colombia. Noboa also cited a lack of reciprocity in securing their shared border, which remains a stronghold for criminal organizations and international drug trafficking.
The Colombian government expressed surprise at Ecuador’s unilateral tariffs, noting that bilateral cooperation remains active through established binational mechanisms, including joint military and anti-narcotics operations.
