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Original article: “El cierre de la frontera no detiene el comercio, lo vuelve ilegal”: Petro acusa que medidas de Noboa alimentan el contrabando

Colombian President Gustavo Petro launched sharp accusations against his Ecuadorian counterpart, Daniel Noboa, stating that the border closure policies he has implemented not only hinder legal trade but also push it directly into the hands of smuggling and criminal gangs.

“The border closure does not stop trade; it makes it illegal,” asserted the Colombian leader amidst the worst diplomatic crisis in years, characterized by a tariff war and security-related accusations.

During a cabinet meeting held in Ipiales, a border town with Ecuador, he warned that Noboa’s measures equate to a handing over of territorial control to criminal organizations.

“The border cannot fall into the hands of the mafia. What Noboa is doing is surrendering the border to the mafia,” he declared to his cabinet members, according to reports from EFE.

In this context, he argued that preventing the passage of trucks carrying legal goods increases the risk of criminal activities occurring.

“When (Noboa) prevents legal trucks from passing, he is delivering trade to smuggling,” he asserted, adding that the Ecuadorian president’s decision, rather than strengthening security, creates a breeding ground for money laundering in drug trafficking and bolsters armed groups operating along the 586 kilometers of common border.

The leader elaborated on his assessment by indicating that the combination of tariff barriers, dollar volatility, and physical border closures fosters that commercial exchanges take place clandestinely and outside the law.

“The border closure does not stop trade; it makes it illegal,” he reiterated, emphasizing that this dynamic enables mafias to control routes, extort transporters, and use smuggling as a cover to fund other illicit activities.

Petro cautioned that without a coordinated response from both governments, the bilateral deterioration would solely benefit criminal organizations that have a historic presence in the region.

Petro Will Not Impose 100% Tariffs on Ecuador

It is worth noting that Quito and Bogotá have been engaged in a tariff war since February, affecting trade, energy cooperation, and oil transport. The rate, referred to by Ecuador as a “security” tariff, increased from 30% effective since February to 50% in March, following Colombia’s response to invoke the principle of reciprocity.

The confrontation escalated to alarming levels after Noboa’s administration decided last week to increase the security tariff on Colombian imports from 50% to 100% starting May 1.

This prompted Petro to request the Colombian ambassador in Quito, María Antonia Velasco, to return to her country immediately.

Days earlier, Noboa had called back his ambassador in Bogotá, Arturo Félix Wong, after the progressive leader labeled former Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge Glas as a “political prisoner.”

Although Petro’s government announced on April 10 that it would impose a 100% tariff on Ecuadorian imports in response to the increase from Quito, during a cabinet meeting, he instructed his Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism, Diana Marcela Morales, to suspend this measure.

“There are no 100% tariffs, Minister of Commerce, we are not that foolish; everything necessary for Colombia, at 0%, will enter,” he stated on that occasion.

La entrada Petro Criticizes Noboa: Border Closure Fuels Illegality and Smuggling se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.