Ecuador's President to meet Colombia's President-elect before inauguration

Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa is set to meet with Colombia's President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella on Friday, just hours before De la Espriella's official inauguration. The bilateral meeting is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. local time in Cali, Colombia, where the investiture ceremony will also be held.

Noboa's attendance at the inauguration highlights regional diplomatic engagement, with other presidents from Argentina, Paraguay, Costa Rica, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Chile, and Honduras also expected. Spain's King Felipe VI will also be present among international dignitaries.

This meeting follows a period of tension between Ecuador and Colombia. From February to June, the two nations were involved in a trade war initiated by Noboa. Ecuador sought to pressure the outgoing Colombian administration to increase border surveillance, citing concerns that criminal violence in Ecuador was fueled by cocaine trafficking from Colombia.

The trade dispute, which saw tariffs escalate significantly, concluded after the intervention of the Andean Community. Noboa, however, attributed the resolution to an agreement reached with De la Espriella prior to the Colombian election. Following De la Espriella's assumption of office, Ecuadorian Interior Minister John Reimberg stated that both countries will launch joint operations targeting drug trafficking and organized crime.