Colombia’s commerce minister, Diana Marcela Morales, has said she will propose raising tariffs on certain Ecuadorian goods from 30% to 50%, as a trade dispute between the neighbouring countries intensifies.
Her remarks follow Ecuador’s announcement on Thursday (26 February) that it will increase tariffs on Colombian imports to 50% from 1 March. Quito said the move was prompted by what it described as a lack of cooperation from Colombia in tackling drug trafficking along their shared border - an allegation Bogotá denies.
“We are going to present the proposal not only to raise tariffs on the 73 tariff subheadings, but also to consider other products that could generate some degree of sensitivity due to the measures Ecuador has taken today,” Morales told Blu Radio.
“It would be 50% for the 73 subheadings that currently have a 30% rate,” she added.
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa defended the decision, reiterating his claim that Colombia has failed to cooperate on border security. The frontier region is a major hub for cocaine trafficking and other forms of contraband.
Noboa said the surcharge reflected Colombia’s “absolute lack of oversight at the border”, adding that Colombian forces had withdrawn several hundred kilometres from the frontier. As a result, Ecuador’s border protection costs had doubled to nearly $400 million a year, he said.
He added that Ecuador had already raised $13 million through the tariff, which was first announced in January, and that violence in the area had declined.
According to Noboa, Ecuador runs a trade deficit of $1.1 billion with Colombia.
Shortly after the initial tariffs were imposed, Ecuador increased the fee on Colombian crude transported through its SOTE pipeline by 900% to $30 per barrel, prompting Colombia to halt shipments.
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The detonation of explosive devices on two bridges in Ecuador early on Wednesday (15 October) was retaliation for a major military operation against illegal miners, the country's interior minister said.
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa’s vehicle was attacked on Tuesday as his convoy travelled through Cañar province, where protesters demonstrating against the government’s decision to lift fuel subsidies threw rocks and other objects at his car.
A prison riot in the southern port city of Machala on Monday left 14 people dead and 14 wounded after clashes between rival gangs, Ecuadorean police said.
Tensions in the region remained high on Tuesday (10 March), as the United States and Iran exchanged increasingly sharp warnings, including threats over the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global oil supplies.
Global oil prices surpassed $119 a barrel on Monday (9 March, 2026), an almost four year high, as the Middle East conflict rumbled on.
China has urged Afghanistan and Pakistan to resolve their dispute through dialogue after Chinese envoy Yue Xiaoyong met Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, as fighting between the two neighbours entered its eleventh day.
Entry and exit across the state border between Azerbaijan and Iran for all types of cargo vehicles, including those in transit, will resume on 9 March, according to a statement by the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan.
Iran named Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his father Ali Khamenei as supreme leader on Monday (9 March), signaling that hardliners remain firmly in charge, as the week-old U.S.-Israeli war with Iran pushed oil above $100 a barrel.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, has addressed the U.N. Security Council, saying the world must consider how effective its engagement with the Taliban-run country is as millions face hunger.
British MPs have rejected a proposal to introduce an Australia-style ban on social media for under-16s, opting instead to give ministers flexible powers to impose restrictions on platforms.
Australia has granted humanitarian visas to five Iranian women footballers who sought asylum, fearing persecution after refusing to sing their national anthem at an Asia Cup match.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 10th of March, covering the latest developments you need to know.
U.S. President Donald Trump called his recent phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin “very good.” The two leaders spoke on Monday about the situation in Iran and other international issues.
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