Colombian President Gustavo Petro said Colombia will not impose 100% tariffs on imports from Ecuador, reversing an earlier trade ministry announcement amid rising bilateral tensions. Instead, the government will use subsidies and “smart” tariffs after Ecuador moved to raise duties on Colombian goods to 100% from May.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro said on Monday, 13 April 2026, that Colombia will not impose 100% tariffs on imports from Ecuador, reversing an earlier announcement by the trade ministry amid growing bilateral tensions. He said instead that the government will use subsidies and “smart” tariffs, but did not provide further details.
The decision follows Ecuador’s announcement that it will raise tariffs on Colombian imports to 100% from May, citing security concerns along their shared border. Colombia had previously indicated it would respond in kind by matching the 100% tariffs and increasing duties from the current 30%.
Petro rejected across-the-board tariff increases, saying essential imports should face 0% tariffs. He also suggested that domestic producers affected by Ecuador’s measures should be supported through subsidies, with surplus goods redirected to alternative export markets, including Venezuela.
The dispute began in January when Ecuador imposed a 30% tariff on Colombian imports, prompting reciprocal measures from Bogotá. According to Colombia’s statistics agency DANE, Colombia recorded a trade surplus of USD 1.016bn with Ecuador in 2025.
Earlier, Ecuador announced that it would increase customs duties on imports from Colombia to 100% from 50%, effective 1 May, escalating a series of tariff measures linked to border security and drug trafficking concerns.
