Colombia enables 100 million dollar credit line for trade with Venezuela

Colombia's Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism and Bancóldex launched a 100 million dollar credit line to support trade operations with Venezuela. The measure aims to strengthen financial mechanisms between the two countries.

Colombia's Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism and Bancóldex announced a strategy to improve payment channels and financing for bilateral trade. Bancóldex enabled a 100 million dollar credit line, including a peso quota of up to 185 billion for working capital.

About 1,200 Colombian companies export to Venezuela and bilateral trade reached 1.17 billion dollars in 2025. The initiative also includes a 50 million dollar component to prefinance exports and imports.

Minister Diana Marcela Morales Rojas noted that functional financial instruments are needed to reduce risks. “The recovery of binational trade requires much more than business will”, she said.

José Alberto Garzón, acting president of Bancóldex, highlighted the network of correspondent banks in Venezuela. The entity also launched the Ruta de oportunidades entre Colombia y Venezuela program to support exporters.

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Illustration depicting Colombia-Ecuador border standoff amid 100% tariff hikes on imports.
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Colombia to raise tariffs on Ecuadorian imports to 100%

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Colombia's Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Diana Marcela Morales Rojas, rejected Ecuador's trade measures and announced that the country will raise tariffs on imports from Ecuador to 100%. The move responds to Ecuador's announced increase of its tariff on Colombian products to 100%, citing border security issues. Business leaders from both nations called for presidential dialogue to avert economic harm.

Colombia's Trade Minister Diana Marcela Morales and Venezuela's Coromoto Godoy led the launch in Caracas of the Follow-up Commission for Partial Scope Agreement No. 28. The commission aims to address trade bottlenecks at the border, prioritizing faster border crossings, lower logistics costs, and harmonized sanitary and phytosanitary requirements.

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The Colombian government retaliated against Ecuador's 100% tariff hike on Colombian products by imposing the same on over 70 Ecuadorian tariff subheadings. Trade Minister Diana Morales amended Decree 170 after unsuccessful diplomatic efforts. Colombian exports to Ecuador dropped 35% in February to US$109.3 million.

In the ongoing Colombia-Ecuador tariff dispute, Colombia's Ministry of Commerce issued Decree 0455 on April 28, 2026, imposing tariffs of 35%, 50%, or 75% on 191 products from Ecuador—up from prior 30% measures—to counter Ecuador's 100% 'security tariffs.' Zero tariffs remain on essential inputs without substitutes. The decree awaits publication in the Official Gazette on April 30 for immediate effect.

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President Gustavo Petro stated that Colombia has no plans to import oil from Venezuela, amid hurdles for gas imports due to US sanctions. Mines and Energy Minister Edwin Palma confirmed that Ecopetrol cannot proceed without an Ofac license. These remarks address a growing gas supply deficit in Colombia.

Veracruz Governor Rocío Nahle García announced the renegotiation of two inherited credits with BANOBRAS, transferred to BBVA under better terms, generating savings of 155 million pesos and freeing over 18 billion pesos in participations until 2040.

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Following its January hike to 10.25%, Colombia's Banco de la República raised its intervention rate by another 100 basis points to 11.25% in a tight 4-3 vote during its second meeting of the year. Finance Minister Germán Ávila walked out of the board meeting and announced the government's withdrawal from the central bank over disagreements. President Gustavo Petro backed the move and criticized the monetary policy.

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