Overview
- Ecuador will apply the 30% surcharge to Colombian imports starting February 1 as a unilateral measure.
- President Daniel Noboa announced the move while in Davos, linking it to demands for coordinated operations on the border.
- Interior Minister John Reimberg endorsed the step, accusing Colombian authorities of failing to curb drug cultivation, processing and shipments.
- Colombian President Gustavo Petro had not issued an immediate response to the tariff announcement on Wednesday.
- Ecuador’s escalation follows a surge in organized-crime violence, including a 2025 homicide rate of 52 per 100,000, and comes after a December U.S. Air Force deployment to assist anti-smuggling efforts.