Ecuadoran President meets with US VP Vance amid row with Petro

WASHINGTON: Ecuadoran President Daniel Noboa met with US vice president JD Vance in Washington on Wednesday, weeks after slapping tariffs on neighboring Colombia over border disputes.

The right-wing Ecuadoran leader has criticized Colombian President Gustavo Petro for failing to crack down on drug trafficking and illegal mining along their shared border.


Noboa's visit was intended to "strengthen bilateral relations, fight drug trafficking" and discuss opportunities for Ecuadoran growth, his office said on X.

Noboa, a staunch ally of US President Donald Trump, is scheduled to address the permanent council of the Organization of American States (OAS) and meet with US lawmakers on Thursday. Petro, a leftist, addressed the body three months ago during an official visit to Washington.

Last month, Ecuador imposed 100 per cent tariffs on Colombia goods, prompting Bogota to retaliate with its own 100 per cent tariffs. Leaders from both sides recalled their envoys.

Since taking office in 2023, Noboa has implemented hardline policies against organized crime, expanding military operations, and ordering bombings on Ecuador's border with Colombia.

About 70 per cent of the cocaine produced in Colombia and Peru—the world's largest producers of the drug—transits through Ecuador to be exported via its Pacific ports.