4:36 pm - May 7, 2026
Truckers and merchants from Colombia and Ecuador gathered at a shared border crossing on Tuesday to protest against escalating trade tensions between the two South American nations. The demonstrators called on both governments to eliminate newly imposed 30% tariffs on dozens of goods, warning that the trade war between Ecuador and Colombia will devastate border economies and disrupt energy supplies in both countries.
The protest took place as reciprocal tariffs entered their second week, affecting bilateral commerce worth approximately $2.3 billion annually, according to Colombia’s statistics agency. Carlos Bastidas, president of an Ecuadorian transportation workers association, told reporters that tariffs “generate crises, they don’t help the economy,” urging both presidents to establish dialogue mechanisms instead.
Ecuador Initiates Trade War Over Security Concerns
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa launched the dispute last month by announcing 30% tariffs on Colombian goods, citing concerns that Bogota has failed to adequately curb cocaine flows across their shared border. The conservative leader, who has sought closer ties with the Trump administration, characterized the levies as a “security tax” on social platform X, stating they would remain until Colombia took “firm actions” against drug cartels.
Colombia responded swiftly by imposing matching 30% tariffs on dozens of Ecuadorian products, including rice and automotive parts. Additionally, Colombian authorities announced plans to halt electricity sales to Ecuador, a nation heavily dependent on hydroelectric power that experienced severe outages throughout 2024.
Border Communities Face Economic Impact
While neither country represents the other’s primary trading partner, the trade war between Ecuador and Colombia carries significant consequences for border regions. Edison Mena, president of a Colombian truckers association in the border city of Ipiales, stated on Tuesday that 38% of his city’s economy relies on commerce with Ecuador.
Colombia exported approximately $1.7 billion worth of goods to Ecuador last year, with total bilateral trade reaching $2.3 billion, according to Colombian statistics. However, both nations produce similar agricultural commodities, including coffee, flowers, bananas and petroleum, limiting their economic interdependence.
Political Motivations Behind Tariff Announcement
Critics of President Noboa have suggested the 38-year-old leader initiated the trade dispute to deflect attention from his administration’s domestic failures. The tariff announcement coincided with Ecuador’s Interior Ministry releasing crime statistics showing the country reached a homicide rate of 50 murders per 100,000 residents in 2025, the highest in recent history.
Ecuador’s murder rate has quintupled since 2020 as drug trafficking organizations from Mexico, Colombia and other regions battle for control of the nation’s ports. The once-peaceful South American country has transformed into a major transit hub for cocaine produced in Colombia and Peru, fueling unprecedented violence.
Energy Security Concerns Add Urgency
The Colombian threat to cut electricity supplies adds another dimension to the trade war between Ecuador and Colombia, particularly given Ecuador’s recent energy crisis. The nation’s reliance on hydroelectric generation left it vulnerable to widespread blackouts in 2024, making Colombian electricity imports strategically important.
Meanwhile, border protesters emphasized that ordinary citizens and businesses will bear the economic burden of the political dispute. Transportation workers and merchants warned that sustained tariffs could force business closures and job losses in communities dependent on cross-border commerce.
Both governments have not indicated any timeline for negotiations or tariff removal, leaving border communities uncertain about the dispute’s duration. Authorities on neither side have confirmed whether diplomatic talks are planned to resolve the trade war.
