Colombia's foreign ministry has accused Ecuador of blatant interference in its democratic process after Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa announced he would lift tariffs on Colombian imports following talks with a right-wing presidential candidate — just days before Colombians head to the polls.

Noboa said on Friday that Ecuador would eliminate its security tariffs on Colombian goods as of 1 June, framing the announcement as the result of talks with Abelardo de la Espriella, one of the leading candidates in Sunday's election. On social media, Noboa wrote that the decision followed his confirmation of de la Espriella's willingness to pursue a "real and joint fight against narcoterrorism," adding that the two had also agreed on the handover of Ecuadorian criminals sheltering in Colombian territory. Crucially, Noboa gave no indication of whether he would honour the same commitment if another candidate were to win.

Colombia's foreign ministry rejected the framing outright, calling the portrayal of the tariff reversal as a goodwill gesture "misleading." The ministry pointed out that the Andean Community of Nations — the regional trade bloc of which both countries are members — had already ruled this month that the reciprocal tariffs must be eliminated because they violate free trade principles, and had set both countries a deadline to comply. Bogotá argued that Noboa's apparent generosity was therefore not a concession but an obligation, and that dressing it up as a personal favour to a candidate constituted "a flagrant violation of the principle of non-intervention in internal affairs, a threat to national sovereignty and an attack on the democratic system."

The tariff dispute between the two Andean neighbours stretches back to January, when Noboa imposed what he called a security tax on Colombian imports, citing Bogotá's alleged failure to control their shared 586-kilometre border and complaining of a bilateral trade deficit of at least one billion dollars. The tax started at 30 percent and was gradually raised to 100 percent. Colombia, whose government denied any neglect of the border, retaliated with tariffs of up to 75 percent on Ecuadorian products and banned energy exports to Ecuador. Ecuador's geographical position — sandwiched between Colombia and Peru, the world's two largest cocaine producers — has made it a critical transit corridor for drug trafficking, a reality that has shaped its increasingly hard-line security posture.

Sunday's election takes place against a backdrop of deep political polarisation and persistent campaign violence, including the fatal shooting of one candidate last year. Polling suggests that Iván Cepeda, the preferred successor of outgoing left-wing President Gustavo Petro — who is constitutionally barred from seeking re-election — holds the broadest support, with de la Espriella his closest rival. Centre-right Senator Paloma Valencia is also in the race. A run-off between the top two finishers is scheduled for 21 June if, as expected, no candidate wins an outright majority. The result carries regional significance: where Colombia ultimately positions itself on security cooperation, drug policy and relations with Washington could reshape the balance of power across Latin America at a particularly volatile moment for the region.