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The United States and Ecuador have finalized a reciprocal trade agreement that eliminates a 15% surcharge on $2.8 billion in non-oil Ecuadorian exports and opens Ecuador's agricultural market to US soybeans, dairy, beef, and poultry. Most-favored-nation treatment takes effect by August 2026.
Ecuador's international reserves reached $11,940 million as of March 13, 2026 — the highest level in the country's history. In a dollarized economy, reserves directly back every dollar in circulation, making this a significant indicator of financial stability.
The United States and Ecuador formally signed their Agreement on Reciprocal Trade on March 13, 2026, cutting tariffs on 53% of non-oil exports worth $2.8 billion. Key sectors including bananas, shrimp, cocoa, coffee, and flowers get preferential access, while Ecuador eliminates its price band system on U.S. agricultural imports.
Relations between Ecuador and Colombia have deteriorated sharply in March 2026. Ecuador raised tariffs to 50% on Colombian goods on March 1, Colombia retaliated with tariffs on 280 products, and President Petro has accused Ecuador of bombing Colombian territory. $2.8 billion in annual bilateral trade hangs in the balance.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has established its first permanent office in Ecuador, housed at the U.S. Embassy in Quito. The office will support joint investigations with Ecuador's National Police targeting drug trafficking, money laundering, and terrorism financing.
Ambassador Jamieson Greer and Ecuador's Trade Minister signed the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade on March 13, locking in zero tariffs on $2.8 billion in Ecuadorian exports and opening the door to cheaper American imports. If you buy wine, medicine, or electronics in Ecuador, pay attention.
Ecuador deployed 75,000 soldiers and police to Guayas, El Oro, Los Ríos, and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas with a nightly curfew from 11 PM to 5 AM through March 31. Here's what expats traveling to the coast or flying through Guayaquil need to know.
The United States and Ecuador have concluded negotiations on a historic Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) that eliminates the 15% surcharge on roughly half of Ecuador's non-petroleum exports — worth $3.2 billion annually. The deal shields Ecuadorian flowers, bananas, cacao, and seafood from the new 10% global US tariff.
At a 54-nation Critical Minerals Ministerial in Washington, the US formally recognized Ecuador's rare earth elements, copper, and gold deposits as strategically important — unlocking up to $10 billion in EXIM Bank financing and DFC investment guarantees for mining development.
President Daniel Noboa will join five other Latin American leaders at a Trump-hosted summit in Miami on March 7, forming a regional bloc focused on countering China’s influence, boosting security cooperation, and expanding trade — with Ecuador’s new US deal as the centerpiece.
