
In echo of Trump, Ecuador announces tariff on Mexican imports
By Craig Nigrelli (Anchor), Kaleb Gillespie (Video Editor)
- Ecuador is now entering the tariff fray. Its president announced that it is levying a 27% fee on Mexican goods entering the country.
- The two countries have been at odds, diplomatically, since the arrest of an Ecuadorian official last year, inside the Mexican Embassy.
- The president of Ecuador is an ally of Donald Trump who attended the inauguration and is now up for reelection himself on Sunday.
The president of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, entered the tariff fray on Monday, Feb. 3. He announced that his country is slapping a 27% levy on Mexican goods coming into the South American country.
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Why is Ecuador targeting Mexico?
Noboa said the move is aimed at boosting local manufacturers. However, some believe it might be an attempt to curry favor with the Trump administration.

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On Monday, President Trump announced a 30-day pause on tariffs with Mexico after it agreed to send an additional 10,000 troops to the U.S.-Mexico border, helping to stop the flow of migrants crossing into the United States illegally.
What is the connection to the Trump administration?
Noboa attended the Trump inauguration last month in Washington and called Trump’s election win a victory for Latin America.
Why are relations between Ecuador and Mexico strained?
Ecuador is currently locked in a diplomatic dispute with Mexico, stemming from the arrest of former Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge Glas last year. Police broke into the Mexican Embassy to take him into custody.
Ecuador says he’s wanted for fraud and that Mexico illegitimately granted him political asylum. Critics accused Ecuador of breaking international law.
Will the tariffs have a big impact?
Trade between the countries is now reportedly very low. The Mexican central bank indicates that exports to Ecuador amount to less than 1% of the country’s total exports.
Noboa is running in the national election on Sunday, Feb. 9, hoping to win a full term after he took over 18 months ago for former President Guillermo Lasso.
[Craig Nigrelli]
THE PRESIDENT OF ECUADOR, DANIEL NOBOA, ENTERED THE TARIFF FRAY MONDAY, ANNOUNCING HIS COUNTRY IS SLAPPING A 27% LEVY ON MEXICAN GOODS COMING INTO THE COUNTRY.
NOBOA SAYS THE MOVE IS AIMED AT BOOSTING LOCAL MANUFACTURERS. HOWEVER, SOME BELIEVE IT MIGHT BE AN ATTEMPT TO CURRY FAVOR WITH THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION. ON MONDAY, PRESIDENT TRUMP ANNOUNCED A 30-DAY PAUSE ON TARIFFS WITH MEXICO, AFTER MEXICO AGREED TO SEND AN ADDITIONAL 10,000 TROOPS TO THE MEXICO/U.S BORDER IN AN ATTEMPT TO STOP THE FLOW OF MIGRANTS ILLEGALLY CROSSING INTO THE UNITED STATES.
NOBOA ATTENDED THE TRUMP INAUGURATION LAST MONTH IN WASHINGTON AND CALLED TRUMP’S ELECTION WIN, A VICTORY FOR LATIN AMERICA.
ECUADOR IS CURRENTLY LOCKED IN A DIPLOMATIC DISPUTE WITH MEXICO STEMMING FROM THE ARREST LAST YEAR, OF FORMER ECUADORIAN VICE PRESIDENT JORGE GLAS. POLICE BROKE INTO THE MEXICAN EMBASSY TO TAKE HIM INTO CUSTODY. ECUADOR SAYS HE’S WANTED FOR FRAUD AND THAT MEXICO ILLEGITIMATELY GRANTED HIM POLITICAL ASYLUM. CRITICS ACCUSED ECUADOR OF BREAKING INTERNATIONAL LAW.
TRADE BETWEEN THE COUNTRIES IS NOW REPORTEDLY VERY LOW. THE MEXICAN CENTRAL BANK INDICATES THAT ITS EXPORTS TO ECUADOR AMOUNT TO LESS THAN ONE PERCENT OF MEXICAN EXPORTS TO OTHER COUNTRIES.
NOBOA HAS A BUSY WEEK AHEAD. HE IS RUNNING IN THE NATIONAL ELECTION SUNDAY, HOPING TO WIN A FULL TERM AFTER HE TOOK OVER 18 MONTHS AGO FOR OUSTED FORMER PRESIDENT GUILLERMO LASSO. FOR MORE UNBIASED UPDATES, DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP
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