Ecuador President Slams Colombia, Escalates Trade War with 50% Tariffs

• Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa called Colombia his country's worst trade partner, defending a 50% tariff hike on Colombian imports.
• The trade war escalated due to Ecuador's concerns over Colombia's failure to curb cocaine flow across their shared border and a $1.1 billion trade deficit.
• Colombia retaliated with 30% tariffs on Ecuadorian goods and threatened to stop electricity sales, prompting Ecuador to raise tariffs further to 50%.
• Colombian officials dismiss accusations, citing record cocaine seizures, but production remains high.
• Merchants and business organizations in both nations warn of economic harm, with 40,000 Ecuadorian jobs at risk, urging urgent dialogue.