Colombia

Ecuador

Economics

Energy

Politics

Colombia's President Gustavo Petro announced on April 13 that he will not impose the 100% retaliatory tariff on Ecuadorian goods that his trade minister announced on April 10, Reuters reported on April 13.

Colombia, Ecuador: Petro Backtracks on 100% Tariffs on Ecuador, Issues Accusations

Ecuador announced that it would raise tariffs on Colombian imports from 50% to 100% starting on May 1 due to "Colombia's failure to implement concrete and effective border security ‌measures," Reuters reported on April 9, citing a government statement.

Ecuador, Colombia: Ecuador Raises Tariffs on Colombia as Diplomatic Tensions Escalate 

Military & Security

Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa on April 2 declared a new 60-day state of emergency in nine of the country's 24 provinces, including the province of Pichincha, where Quito is located, and Guayas, which includes the main port city of Guayaquil, DW reported on April 3.

Ecuador: Authorities Declare New State of Emergency in Nine Provinces

United States

Colombian President Gustavo Petro alleged on March 16 that Ecuadorian authorities had bombed drug trafficking groups on the Colombian side of the countries' border, DW reported on March 17.

Ecuador, Colombia: Colombia Alleges Ecuador Bombed Group on Colombian Side of Border

Argentina

Bolivia

Chile

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Dominican Republic

El Salvador

Guyana

Honduras

Panama

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Trinidad and Tobago

The United States hosted the "Shield of the Americas" summit in Doral, Florida, during which U.S. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation launching a coalition to combat drug cartels, The Guardian reported on March 7.

U.S., Latin America: Shield of the Americas Summit Establishes Coalition To Combat Cartels

Americas

Guatemala

Peru

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth signed a deal with military officials from 19 Latin American and Caribbean countries ideologically aligned with President Donald Trump's administration to fight narcoterrorist groups, Reuters reported March 5. 

U.S., Latin America, Caribbean: U.S. and Allies Agree on Aggressive Approach Against Latin American Drug Trafficking 

The United States Southern Command announced in a March 3 post on X that U.S. military forces were engaging in "operations against Designated Terrorist Organizations in Ecuador" alongside Ecuadorian military forces.

Ecuador, U.S.: U.S. Military Participates in Joint Operations Against Drug Traffickers in Ecuador

Ecuador announced 30% tariffs on Colombian goods effective Feb. 1 over an alleged lack of cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking, Reuters reported on Jan. 21.

Colombia, Ecuador: Bogota Retaliates Against Quito's Security-Related Tariffs

Assessments

Brazil

Venezuela

Pilgrims with flags from different countries gather at Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 23, 2013, as they wait for the official opening of the Catholic Church's World Youth Day, which will be celebrated with a holy Mass. 

As many South American countries embrace right-leaning governments, their policies will increasingly align with those of the U.S. Trump administration, opening them to increased security cooperation, although economic integration remains unlikely.

What South America's Rightward Political Shift Means for U.S. Relations

U.S. President Donald Trump greets Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa at his "Shield of the Americas" summit, a gathering with heads of state and government officials from 12 countries in the Americas at the Trump National Doral Golf Club on March 7, 2026, in Doral, Florida. 

The United States' increasing interventionism across the Americas has led to joint military operations with Ecuador, which, if sustained, could successfully reduce cartel violence there.

U.S.-Ecuador Military Operations Expand Washington's Regional Interventionism

Belize

Cuba

Haiti

Mexico

Bahamas

Jamaica

A U.S. Marine V-22 Osprey takes off from Jose Aponte de la Torre Airport, formerly Roosevelt Roads Naval Station, on Sept. 13, 2025, in Ceiba, Puerto Rico. 

The Trump administration will likely expand its attacks against alleged drug traffickers in the region over the next year, potentially extending to land-based targets, which will create safety, operational and compliance challenges for organizations.

The Outlook for U.S. Strikes on Drug Traffickers in Latin America and the Caribbean

Columns

On Security

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Nepal

Fire rages through the Singha Durbar, the main administrative building for the Nepal government, in Kathmandu on Sept. 9, 2025, after youth protesters set fire to the building. 

Recent events in Nepal, Madagascar and elsewhere show how digitally coordinated, leaderless protests can succeed, but eventually face even larger challenges in sustaining the momentum for change.

Worldwide Gen Z Protesters May Be Disappointed With Their Success

China

North Korea

Ukraine

Russia

India

Helicopters fly in the sky during a rehearsal for a military parade Aug. 24 in Beijing.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: An SCO Summit, Rubio Closes Security Deals With Mexico and Ecuador

Nicaragua

Suriname

Uruguay

(L-R) Colombian Foreign Minister Laura Sarabia, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Honduran Foreign Minister Eduardo Enrique Reina attend a plenary session of the China-CELAC ministerial meeting at the Great Hall of the People on May 13, 2025, in Beijing, China. 

Global Trade

Latin America and the Caribbean will welcome China's increased engagement, but strong ties to the West and China's economic slowdown will limit Beijing's influence in the region.

Despite Stronger Trade Ties, China's Influence in Latin America Will Remain Limited

Iran

Cambodia

Malaysia

Vietnam

Europe

Italy

Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the closing session of the National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, China, on March 11, 2025. 

U.S.-Iran Relations

The Weekly Rundown: Xi Tours Southeast Asia, Iran-U.S. Nuclear Talks Begin

The outcome of Ecuador's presidential run-off will determine the risk of gridlock, social spending levels, debt risks and efforts to combat violent crime; as both candidates have left the door open to disputing the outcome, a political crisis is also possible

Ecuador Holds Its Presidential Election Run-off 

Jordan's King Abdullah II speaks to the press in the Cross Hall of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 12, 2024.

The Weekly Rundown: Trump Meets With India and Jordan's Leaders, Ecuador Holds Elections

A woman walks past a mural of leftist presidential candidate Luisa Gonzalez in Quito, Ecuador, on Feb. 5, 2025.

Global Elections

Noboa's reelection would portend more business-friendly policies that slowly improve Ecuador's economic conditions, while a victory by his left-wing challenger would see increased social spending that could jeopardize the country's IMF deal.

Previewing Ecuador's Presidential Election

Angola

Cote d'Ivoire

Ghana

Canada

Algeria

Iraq

Israel

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Qatar

Saudi Arabia

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United Arab Emirates

Yemen

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Pakistan

World map on a dark digital background representing global communication and global finances.

Cyber

RANE's Top 10 Risks for 2025 highlights high-impact, low-probability risks and trends from the annual forecast presented in more extreme terms.

RANE's Top 10 Risks for 2025

A banner depicts IRGC missile models aimed at Israel on April 16 in the Iranian capital of Tehran. The ongoing confrontation may be entering a de-escalation phase after the April 19 Israeli counterstrike to Iran's April 13 salvo against Israel.

The Weekly Rundown: Israel-Iran Conflict, Ecuador's Constitutional Referendum

Ecuador straddles the equator on the Pacific Coast of South America. Colombia sits on its northern border, and Peru wraps around its eastern and southern boundaries. Geographical barriers divide the country into three parts. The east is part of the Amazon rainforest, the Andes Mountains run down the center, and the west is in the coastal zone.     The country's major territorial conflict with Peru was settled in 1998. The dispute dated back to the time when Ecuador was part of Gran Colombia, which included Colombia, Venezuela and Panama, in the early 19th century. With the dissolution of Gran Colombia, Ecuador inherited a territorial dispute that took over 150 years to be settled.     Although there is no territorial conflict with Colombia, Ecuador's border with its northern neighbor poses a major security challenge for the government in the capital, Quito, because it is a major route for Colombian drug trafficking and armed groups. Criminals and rebels tend to cross into Ecuador to escape Colombia's security forces. Ecuador and Colombia almost went to war at the beginning of the 21st century when Colombia bombed Ecuadorian territory in an operation against the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.     The country's core regions are the Quito metropolitan area and Guayaquil, home to Ecuador's major port. Those two areas hold more than half of the country's population. Over 70 percent of Ecuador's population is mestizo, and less than 10 percent is indigenous. However, indigenous groups have clashed frequently with the central government because they oppose oil and mining activities, especially in Ecuador's Amazon region. Oil and mining products are two of the country's key export products, representing almost 40 percent of total exports.

SITUATION REPORTS

Colombia, Ecuador: Petro Backtracks on 100% Tariffs on Ecuador, Issues Accusations

Ecuador, Colombia: Ecuador Raises Tariffs on Colombia as Diplomatic Tensions Escalate

Ecuador: Authorities Declare New State of Emergency in Nine Provinces

Ecuador, Colombia: Colombia Alleges Ecuador Bombed Group on Colombian Side of Border

U.S., Latin America: Shield of the Americas Summit Establishes Coalition To Combat Cartels

U.S., Latin America, Caribbean: U.S. and Allies Agree on Aggressive Approach Against Latin American Drug Trafficking

Ecuador, U.S.: U.S. Military Participates in Joint Operations Against Drug Traffickers in Ecuador

Colombia, Ecuador: Bogota Retaliates Against Quito's Security-Related Tariffs

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