Jan. 22 (UPI) -- Ecuador and Colombia have initiated a tariff dispute after a decision by Ecuador's government to impose a 30% duty on imports from Colombia, a move Quito justified on grounds of border security concerns and a persistent trade imbalance.
Colombia responded swiftly, suspending electricity exports to Ecuador and announcing equivalent tariffs on an initial list of 20 Ecuadorian products, escalating tensions between the two Andean neighbors.
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa said Wednesday that the 30% tariff would apply to certain Colombian imports starting Feb. 1, citing what he described as a lack of reciprocity and insufficient security cooperation by the government of Colombian President Gustavo Petro.
The measure will remain in force "until there is a real commitment to jointly confront drug trafficking and illegal mining along the border," Noboa said in a post on X.
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