Ecuador's President Noboa Calls Colombia 'Worst' Trade Partner Amid Tariff Dispute

President Daniel Noboa has sharply criticized Colombia, labeling it Ecuador's "worst" global trade partner and staunchly defending his administration's decision to impose tariffs on Colombian goods. In a recent interview, Noboa highlighted a substantial trade deficit, stating that Ecuador faces a $1.2 billion shortfall with a total trade volume of $2.1 billion with Colombia. He argued that this imbalance negatively impacts Ecuadorian employment and the outflow of foreign currency, justifying the protectionist measures.

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Colombia is our worst partner worldwide: we have a deficit of 1.2 billion dollars with a total trade of 2.1 billion dollars.

Noboa was quick to dismiss any notion of a "trade war," instead framing Ecuador's actions as a necessary "war" against transnational threats. He specified that the fight is against drug trafficking, organized crime, contraband, and illegal mining, issues that he claims are exacerbated by Colombia's perceived lack of cooperation on border security. Ecuador, he asserted, has been forced to bear an additional $400 million annual cost for increased military deployment to contain violence and illicit activities along their shared frontier, particularly in areas like Putumayo.

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This situation affects Ecuadorian employment and the outflow of foreign currency.

The diplomatic tensions have been further inflamed by political disagreements. President Noboa directly refuted Colombian President Gustavo Petro's characterization of former Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge Glas as a "political prisoner," asserting instead that Glas is "a politician imprisoned for corruption cases." This stark difference in perspective on Glas's legal situation underscores the broader political friction between the two nations, adding another layer of complexity to the already strained bilateral relationship. The imposition of tariffs by Ecuador, initially 30% and later increased, has led to retaliatory measures being considered by Colombia, though President Petro has indicated a different approach regarding potential tariffs on Ecuadorian imports.

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We have not declared war on Colombians. We have declared war on drug trafficking, on violence. We have declared war on organized crime, on contraband, and on illegal mining.