The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, stated that his government has indications that the country may be being bombed from Ecuadorian territory, a claim that has heightened diplomatic tensions with Ecuador at a time already marked by political, trade, and security disputes along the shared border.
The statements, made during yesterday’s cabinet meeting, come amid a sustained deterioration in bilateral relations. In addition to trade frictions and mutual accusations over control of drug trafficking, there is now a military allegation that, if confirmed, would represent an extremely serious development in the Andean region.
This situation recalls what happened in March 2008, when, in a controversial episode, Colombian military forces bombed Ecuadorian territory near the border to eliminate Raul Reyes, one of the main leaders of the now-defunct FARC, triggering a diplomatic crisis between the governments of then-Colombian President Alvaro Uribe and his Ecuadorian counterpart, Rafael Correa.
Petro accuses Ecuador of bombing Colombian territory
The Colombian president stated that there is preliminary evidence of explosive devices falling in areas near the border, which, he said, may have been launched from aircraft coming from Ecuador. Petro maintained that his government even has a recording that could support these suspicions, although he emphasized that investigations are still ongoing.
“They are bombing us from Ecuador, and they are not illegal armed groups,” the president said, ruling out from the outset that the incidents could be attributed to criminal organizations operating in the border area, where dissident factions of former guerrilla groups and drug trafficking networks have historically been present.
According to the head of state, several explosions have been recorded and at least one device has been found that may have been dropped from the air. Although he did not specify dates or exact locations, he insisted that Colombia cannot accept attacks of this kind and that national sovereignty must be respected.
Petro also called for avoiding a military escalation and raised the need to clarify the facts before adopting broader decisions. In that regard, he left open the possibility that international bodies could intervene to mediate the crisis.
Ecuador’s denial and exchange of accusations
From Quito, President Daniel Noboa categorically rejected the accusations and stated that his country’s military operations are carried out exclusively within its own territory. According to the Ecuadorian government, the bombings referred to by Colombia correspond to actions against criminal structures based in border areas on the Ecuadorian side.
Noboa has insisted that many of these groups are made up of Colombian citizens and infiltrate from the other side of the border due, according to his account, to failures in control by Colombian authorities. This narrative reinforces a line of discourse that Quito has maintained in recent months, in which it holds Bogota responsible for the expansion of illegal networks.
“From day one we have fought narco-terrorism in all its forms: those who operate on the streets and those who, from politics or even within the judiciary, lend themselves to protecting criminals. Today, together with international cooperation, we continue that fight, bombing the places that served as hideouts for these groups, largely Colombians whom their own government allowed to infiltrate our country due to negligence at its border,” the Ecuadorian president wrote this morning on his account on the social media platform X.
“President Petro, your statements are false; we are acting in our territory, not yours,” Noboa added, ending his comment in a defiant tone: “We will not take a step back. While in Colombia they give space to Fito’s family [an Ecuadorian drug trafficking leader whose prison escape in January 2024 triggered a security crisis in the country] (…), we will continue cleaning up and rebuilding Ecuador.”
The exchange of accusations has added a layer of mistrust to an already strained relationship. While Colombia is demanding explanations for the alleged attacks, Ecuador is defending its security strategy and questioning its neighbor’s effectiveness in the fight against organized crime.
Desde el primer día hemos combatido al narcoterrorismo en todas sus formas: a los que operan en las calles y a los que, desde la política o incluso desde la función judicial, se prestan para proteger a los delincuentes.
Hoy, junto a la cooperación internacional, continuamos en…
— Daniel Noboa Azin (@DanielNoboaOk) March 17, 2026
A border marked by drug trafficking
The current crisis cannot be understood without the context of insecurity affecting the Colombia–Ecuador border, one of the most complex in the region. In recent years, armed groups and drug trafficking networks have consolidated illegal corridors that run through both countries, taking advantage of the jungle geography and the limited state presence.
Ecuador is also experiencing a severe crisis of violence linked to organized crime, which has led the government of Noboa to militarize large areas and to intensify operations against groups considered terrorist organizations. Some of these actions have been concentrated in areas near Colombia, increasing the risk of cross-border incidents.
From Quito, Colombia has been repeatedly accused of not acting forcefully enough against these structures, while Bogota defends its results in seizures and operations, rejecting any suggestion of permissiveness.
Adding to the security tensions is a trade dispute that has worsened the bilateral climate. At the beginning of the year, Ecuador imposed a 30% tariff on Colombian products citing security reasons, a measure that was met by Colombia with similar tariffs and with the suspension of electricity supply to its neighbor.
The conflict has escalated with new economic measures—50% reciprocal tariffs—and exchanges of statements, shaping a scenario of confrontation that is now also extending into the military sphere. Petro’s claim regarding possible bombings introduces a highly sensitive element that could redefine relations between the two countries in the short term.
In this context, the possibility of international mediation is beginning to gain traction as a way to avoid further escalation. Meanwhile, investigations into the alleged attacks continue and are keeping a region on edge where the border line remains a critical point of tension.