Escalating Andes Tensions…Ecuador Imposes "100% Tariff on Colombia"

Escalating Andes Tensions…Ecuador Imposes "100% Tariff on Colombia"

War of nerves over drug crackdown since the beginning of the year…raised again after two increases

Ecuador, which has been in a war of nerves with Colombia over drug cartel crackdowns since the beginning of the year, announced on the 9th (local time) that it would impose a 100% tariff on Colombian imports starting next month.

According to AFP and Reuters, the Ecuadorian government stated in a statement today that "after confirming that Colombia has not implemented specific and effective border security measures, Ecuador had no choice but to take sovereign action."

The new tariff rate announced today is scheduled to take effect from the 1st of next month.

The Ecuadorian government, which has maintained close ties with the US Donald Trump administration, is currently stepping up its war on drugs.

In this process, Ecuador has repeatedly criticized Colombia for not making sufficient efforts to crack down on drug cartels operating in the border areas of the two countries, and in January, it imposed a 30% tariff on Colombian imports, which was then raised to 50% a month later.

Subsequently, Colombia retaliated by raising tariffs on Ecuadorian imports to an equal 50% in February.

Last month, diplomatic friction intensified when Colombian President Gustavo Petro made remarks appearing to blame Ecuador for bombings that occurred in the border region, and Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa publicly refuted them.

Furthermore, when President Petro claimed that former Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge Glas, who is imprisoned on corruption charges, was a 'political prisoner' and demanded his release, the bilateral conflict escalated further.

Ecuador recalled its ambassador to Colombia in protest of President Petro's remarks and has also suspended the bilateral working-level meetings on trade, energy, and security scheduled for next week.

Colombia immediately protested Ecuador's tariff hike announcement today.

President Petro condemned it as "a truly monstrous act" via X (formerly Twitter) today.

President Petro threatened to withdraw from the Andean Community (CAN), a regional bloc that includes Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia, stating that it "means the end of a community in which we are already not participating."