Colombia to Impose 100 Percent Tariffs on Imports from Ecuador
Colombia's Trade, Industry and Tourism Minister Diana Marcela Morales confirmed Bogotá would mirror Ecuador's new tariff levels, raising the existing 30% duty on Ecuadorian goods to 100% — a move that follows Quito's Thursday announcement of a planned increase from 50% to 100% on Colombian imports, effective May 1.
"Despite all diplomatic efforts, we did not receive a positive response; on the contrary, (Ecuadorian) President Daniel Noboa's administration announced it would further harden its stance on the trade front," Morales said.
Morales further charged that Ecuador's tariff measures violate the 1969 Cartagena Agreement — a foundational framework for regional integration — and confirmed that legal proceedings have been set in motion.
Ecuador's Ministry of Production has justified the measures by accusing Colombia of failing to take adequate steps to combat drug trafficking and secure shared border regions. The accusation has added a security dimension to what began as a trade standoff.
Diplomatic fallout has been swift and mutual. Ecuador recalled its ambassador in Bogotá for consultations following remarks by Colombian President Gustavo Petro, with Colombia responding in kind by pulling its own envoy from Quito. The parallel ambassador recalls underscore the depth of the rupture between the two neighboring governments, whose rift centers on sharply divergent approaches to tackling drug trafficking organizations operating along their shared frontier.
The current crisis has escalated through a series of tit-for-tat measures. The dispute ignited earlier this year when Ecuador raised tariffs on Colombian goods from 30% to 50%. Colombia retaliated by suspending electricity exports to Ecuador, which in turn dramatically raised transit fees on oil belonging to Colombia's state energy company Ecopetrol — from $3 to $30 per barrel.
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