Colombian President Gustavo Petro accused on Monday his Ecuadorean counterpart, Daniel Noboa, of “handing over the border to the mafia” during a bilateral crisis fueled by a tariff war, warning that criminal organizations risk seizing control of the 586‑kilometer shared frontier.

Speaking at a cabinet meeting in the border town of Ipiales, Petro directly challenged Noboa’s recent security measures, including the closure of an international bridge over the San Miguel River. He argued that such actions do not stop trade but instead drive it underground, benefiting smuggling rings and drug traffickers.

“The border cannot fall into the hands of the mafia,” Petro said. “What Noboa is doing is handing over the border to the mafia.”

The Colombian leader further explained that a combination of tariff decisions, dollar dynamics, and criminal network activity is rapidly deteriorating conditions along the frontier. He warned that without coordinated bilateral action, the mafias operating in the region stand to gain territorial control.

“When Noboa prevents tractor‑trailers carrying legal goods from crossing, he is handing over trade to smuggling,” Petro stated. “Closing the border does not stop trade, it makes it illegal.”

He added that such dynamics facilitate money laundering from drug trafficking and enable mafias to consolidate their grip on the area.

The confrontation marks the worst moment in bilateral relations in years, following a commercial and political escalation. Last week, Ecuador recalled its ambassador in Bogotá for consultations after Petro called former Ecuadorean vice president Jorge Glas a “political prisoner.” Colombia responded in kind by recalling its ambassador in Quito after Ecuador raised tariffs on Colombian products from 50% to 100%.

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