Echoing Trump, Ecuador announces 27-percent tariffs on Mexican goods

President Daniel Noboa has also ordered a greater military presence at Ecuador’s ports due to ‘destabilisation’ by armed groups.

Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa has unveiled a series of dramatic policy moves as he seeks to project a strong image days ahead of a federal election.

On Monday, in a post on the social media platform X, Noboa announced he would be imposing a 27-percent tariff on imports from Mexico.

Then, in a second message two hours later, he revealed he would seal the country’s borders for a three-day period in response to unspecified threats from armed groups.

“In response to attempts by armed groups to destabilise the country, the borders will remain closed from Saturday, February 8, to Monday, February 10,” Noboa wrote.

He also announced a push to “immediately militarise” Ecuador’s ports and reinforce the military presence at the country’s borders.

The announcements come as Noboa, a conservative, faces a tight re-election bid on Sunday against his rival from the 2023 presidential race, Luisa Gonzalez of the left-wing Citizen Revolution Movement.

Critics also noted that Noboa appeared to be mirroring the policies and phrasings of United States President Donald Trump, who won re-election in 2024 on a hardline agenda of tariffs and border security.

Ongoing feud with Mexico

Trump and Noboa share a common target for their tariff threats: Mexico.

In November, shortly after his election victory, Trump announced he would impose 25-percent tariffs on Mexican products imported into the US. The imposition of those tariffs have been temporarily paused, as of Monday, for a period of 30 days.

Trump justified the move by saying it was necessary leverage to force Mexico to stem the flow of undocumented immigrants and drugs into the US. He also cited the need to protect US industries.

Noboa took a similar tack on Monday when he placed a 27-percent import tax on goods from Mexico.

Echoing Trump’s phrasing, Noboa said that he remained committed to free trade with Mexico but not when there was “abuse”.

“We confirm our position of signing a free trade agreement with Mexico,” the Ecuadorian president wrote.

“But, until that happens and becomes a reality, we will apply a 27% tariff to the products we import, with the objective of promoting our industry and ensuring fair treatment for our producers.”

Ecuador and Mexico have shared tensions in recent years, culminating in the rupture of diplomatic ties last year.

The break was the result of a raid, led by Ecuadorian police, on Mexico’s Embassy in Quito. Once inside, police officers arrested a former Ecuadorian president accused of corruption but granted asylum in Mexico.

International law forbids local police from taking law-enforcement actions in embassies without permission. The raid was condemned by most governments in the region.

A close election

Separately, Noboa revealed on Monday that Ecuador had successfully completed a free trade agreement with Canada.

“After months of intense negotiations, our government has achieved what no other has: Ecuador will have a trade agreement with Canada,” he wrote.

The Ecuadorian leader faces a tight race on Sunday. Polling averages show Noboa in the lead with approximately 38 percent of the vote, and Gonzalez in second place with 32 percent.

That means Noboa is likely short of the majority he needs to avoid a run-off with Gonzalez in April.

The heir to a banana industry fortune, Noboa hopes to secure a full four-year term after taking office as president in November 2023.

His current term is only 18 months long: He won a snap election to finish out the tenure of former President Guillermo Lasso, who dissolved his government under a constitutional mechanism known as the “muerte cruzada” or “crossed death”.

Though he came to power as a law-and-order candidate, Noboa has struggled to address escalating violence from criminal groups, despite a series of measures granting the military and police more expansive powers.

A harsh drought has also precipitated an energy shortage during his brief tenure, as Ecuador relies on hydroelectric power.

Rolling blackouts have become a source of frustration and protest against his government.

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Al Jazeera and news agencies