Daily coverage from across the country, written for the expat community
Results for “SOTE”Clear
Ecuador has slapped 50% tariffs on Colombian imports, threatened to cut electricity sales, and hiked pipeline transit fees by 900%. With $2.8 billion in bilateral trade at risk, Colombian products are getting more expensive and de-escalation talks are just beginning.
January 2026 crude production hit 466,400 bbl/d, down 1.8% year-over-year and 13% below a decade ago. Illegal pipeline taps surged from 36 in 2022 to 770 in 2024, costing $100 million annually. Ecuador needs 550,000 bbl/d just to cover basic fiscal needs.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro accused Ecuador of dropping bombs inside Colombia, claiming 27 charred bodies were found near the border. Ecuador's Noboa flatly denied it. The neighbors are now in their worst diplomatic crisis in years — and it's affecting everything from electricity to trade.
Ecuador hiked tariffs on Colombian imports from 30% to 50% on March 1. Colombia retaliated on 280 Ecuadorian products at the same rate. If you buy medicine, processed food, or pesticides in Ecuador, you're already paying more.
What started as a tariff dispute has spiraled into a full trade war between neighbors. Ecuador slapped 30% duties on Colombian imports; Colombia responded by suspending electricity sales and threatening counter-tariffs on 23 Ecuadorian products. The pipeline tariff jumped from $3 to $30 per barrel.
High-level negotiations in Quito on February 6 ended without resolving the mutual 30% tariffs between Ecuador and Colombia. Both countries are blaming each other. Here's what it means for prices, energy, and daily life.
A high-level Colombian delegation arrives in Quito today for emergency talks aimed at resolving the reciprocal 30% tariff war that has brought bilateral trade to a near standstill and suspended Colombian electricity exports.
Thirty-percent tariffs, suspended electricity exports, a 900% pipeline fee hike, and border protests — the Ecuador-Colombia trade war is escalating fast. Here's how it could affect your daily life.
