Published on 5/31/2026
On Saturday, the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused Ecuador of what it described as “deliberate interference” in the presidential elections that will be held in Colombia tomorrow, Sunday, to succeed the current leftist president, Gustavo Petro, who cannot run again.
This comes against the backdrop of Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa agreeing, yesterday, Friday, to cancel the current 100% customs duties on imports from Colombia, after talks with the opposition right-wing Colombian presidential candidate, Abelardo de la Espriilla.
The President of Ecuador explained that his country will cancel bilateral customs duties as of next June after reaching an agreement with Colombian presidential candidate Esprilla.
Noboa said on the “X” platform that this step will take effect after “confirming Esprilla’s readiness to strengthen a real and joint fight against drug-related terrorism,” adding that they agreed to extradite the suspected Ecuadorian “criminals” present in Colombia.
The Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement today, Saturday, also described Noboa’s statements as “an intrusion by a foreign president,” considering that they constitute “a flagrant violation of the principle of non-interference in internal affairs.”
Trade war
The two countries have been locked in a trade war for months, with Ecuador accusing Colombia of not combating drug trafficking along their 586-kilometre border, an accusation rejected by current Colombian President Gustavo Petro.
The two countries impose customs duties on imports, which they successively raised to 100%.
Colombians go to the polls tomorrow, Sunday, to elect President Gustavo Petro’s successor. Ivan Cepeda, an ally of the current leftist president, and millionaire lawyer Abelardo de la Espriilla, who represents a political movement called “Defenders of the Fatherland,” are considered the most likely candidates in the presidential elections.
