00:00Colombia is suspending electricity sales to Ecuador and will impose a 30% tariff on 20 products from its neighbor.
00:09The move comes a day after Ecuador's president, Daniel Noboa, said his government would impose a 30%
00:15security charge on goods from Colombia starting February 1st.
00:20Noboa cited a trade deficit and a lack of cooperation on fighting drug trafficking.
00:25In its announcement, Colombia did not say what products were covered by the new tariffs.
00:29Its top imports from Ecuador are fish, vegetable oil and auto parts.
00:34In response, Ecuador's energy minister said Colombian crude being transported on the OCP pipeline,
00:41Ecuador's second largest, would face quote reciprocity, though she didn't spell out what that would mean.
00:47Colombian President Gustavo Petro addressed the issue on Thursday.
00:52We sold them energy when they needed it, and now they don't need it.
00:55Well, they are seeing that the one who shouts the most is the one who makes the most friends.
01:00But I don't like to shout sometimes.
01:03He also demanded a close watch on the border.
01:12We need absolute control at the border with Ecuador, by land and by sea,
01:16to impede fentanyl supplies from entering Colombia, which don't come by boat.
01:20It's impossible.
01:22They come on merchant ships.
01:29Colombia has repeatedly rejected accusations it is not doing enough to tackle drug smuggling.
01:35U.S. President Donald Trump has also accused Petro of failing to stop the flow of cocaine to the United States,
01:42which he has denied.
01:43The Colombian president was sanctioned by the U.S. last year.
01:47The tensions eased in January following a cordial phone call between Petro and Trump.
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