Colombia and Ecuador will try this week to meet in Lima, Peru, to halt a trade war that has already escalated to reciprocal tariffs of 50% and is hitting bilateral trade head-on.
Delegations from both countries will meet this Wednesday and Thursday in Lima, Peru, in a meeting promoted by the Andean Community to seek a negotiated solution to the crisis.
The meeting comes after weeks of measures and countermeasures that have strained relations between Bogota and Quito and raised alarms among business sectors on both sides of the border.
The immediate goal will be to reduce tensions and open a channel for dialogue that allows, at least partially, the rollback of trade restrictions.
Colombia and Ecuador to meet in Lima to ease tariff crisis
The meeting in Lima represents the first formal attempt to steer back a confrontation that has been escalating without pause since the beginning of the year. The mediation of the Andean Community aims to provide a neutral space for the parties to present their positions and explore formulas for understanding.
“To foster consensus leading to a mutually satisfactory understanding that will make it possible to overcome the differences between the two countries, the meeting will be facilitated by the General Secretariat of the Andean Community,” the supranational body said in a statement.
The Andean Community (CAN) is a regional integration organization established in 1969 and comprising Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Headquartered in Lima, its purpose is to promote balanced economic and social development among its member countries, as well as with partner countries such as Argentina and Chile.
The agenda will include a review of the tariff measures adopted by both governments and the possibility of establishing temporary mechanisms to ease pressure on trade. Although no immediate agreements are expected, the meeting is seen as a necessary step to prevent the crisis from deepening.
Comunicado Oficial
Los días 25 y 26 de marzo en la sede de la Secretaría General de la #ComunidadAndina, en Lima, República del Perú, se tiene programada una reunión entre delegaciones de alto nivel de la República de Colombia y la República del Ecuador, encabezadas por sus… pic.twitter.com/F0SSwUJj76
— Comunidad Andina (@ComunidadAndina) March 20, 2026
Two months of escalating tensions between Colombia and Ecuador
The breaking point came last January, when Ecuador decided to impose a 30% tariff on Colombian products. The Ecuadorian government justified the measure on security concerns at the border, especially due to the advance of organized crime and its impact on the territory.
Colombia responded with similar measures, arguing that Ecuador’s decision violated the principles of regional integration. From that moment on, the dynamic became one of escalation. Trade restrictions began to expand and affect a growing number of products.
In March, tensions reached their highest point when Ecuador raised tariffs to 50%. Colombia, in reciprocity, moved in the same direction. The result was the consolidation of an open trade war between two countries that have historically maintained a close economic relationship.
Bilateral trade between the two countries amounts to an exchange of around US$2.8 billion, according to official figures and specialized organizations. In addition, trade is concentrated in non-mining and energy products, which account for more than 85% of the total.
According to Colombia’s Ministry of Commerce, between January and October 2025, trade reached US$2.2 billion, with a surplus for Colombia of around US$849 million.
This favorable balance has been a constant: In 2024, it exceeded US$1.1 billion, and in 2023 it stood at US$1.3 billion. Until the beginning of the crisis in January, Ecuador imported more than US$2.1 billion in Colombian goods per year, while its exports to the neighboring country were around US$800 million.
However, the current situation of mutual blockage is reshaping this reality, in addition to paralyzing commercial activity on both sides of the shared border.
From trade tensions to political clashes
The dispute quickly went beyond the economic sphere. Trade decisions were accompanied by a hardening of political rhetoric between the governments of Gustavo Petro and Daniel Noboa, further complicating any attempt at de-escalation.
Ecuador has insisted that its measures respond to a security situation it considers unsustainable along the shared border. Colombia, for its part, has rejected that argument and has stated that Quito’s decisions are unilateral and contrary to regional commitments.
The exchange of accusations has revealed a breakdown of trust that goes beyond trade. Political and ideological differences between the two governments have also contributed to deepening the divide.
The impact of the crisis is already being felt in productive sectors. Exporters and importers face higher costs and a reduction in the flow of goods of up to 80%, while several supply chains have been disrupted.
Business groups have warned of multimillion-dollar losses and have pressured both governments to find a quick solution. Agricultural products, manufactured goods, and industrial items are among those most affected by the restrictions.
Uncertainty has also begun to affect investment and medium-term business decisions in a context in which both countries largely depend on the regional exchange.