Jan. 28 (UPI) -- Ecuador confirmed a retaliatory 900% increase in the tariff it charges to transport Colombian crude oil through its petroleum infrastructure, raising the cost to $30 per barrel from $3 -- a move that has deepened bilateral tensions in the energy and trade spheres.
The measure was confirmed Monday by Ecuador's Minister of Environment and Energy Ines Manzano, who said the new rate applies to Colombian crude that moves through the Transecuadorian Oil Pipeline System, known by its Spanish acronym SOTE, which is owned by Ecuador. She said the increase took effect Friday.
"The tariff rose from $3 to $30 in reciprocity for Colombia's decision to suspend the sale of electricity," Manzano said in an interview with local radio station Sucesos.
The dispute between the two countries began after President Daniel Noboa's government announced it would impose a 30% tariff on Colombian products. Ecuador justified the move by arguing that Colombia has not done enough to combat drug trafficking along the shared border and framed it as a trade protection measure.
Bogota responded with retaliatory steps, including the suspension of electricity supplies to Ecuador, which relies on imports to cover part of its power demand.
