LatinNews Daily - 27 February 2026

*Ecuador’s government has raised its tariff rate on Colombian imports from 30% to 50%. The ministry of production, foreign trade, and investment issued a statement yesterday saying that the increase was due to “the lack of concrete and effective border security measures by Colombia” which has left Ecuador “obliged to take sovereign action”. The statement added that “this decision responds to national security needs, to strengthen co-responsibility in what should be a joint task: tackling the presence of drug trafficking along the border”. The 50% rate will come into force from 1 March. Ecuador announced a 30% ‘security tax’ on Colombian imports in late January, accusing President Gustavo Petro’s administration of failing to police its side of the shared border. Colombia denies any security negligence and responded in kind with its own 30% tariffs on a range of Ecuadorean products. The trade war has also hit the energy sectors of both countries, with Colombia suspending electricity exports to Ecuador and President Daniel Noboa’s administration hiking the price it charges to pump Colombian oil through the Ecuadorean pipeline system.

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