Overview
- Petro, who announced Sunday on X that he will sue for calumny, denied any link to José Adolfo “Fito” Macías and said his 2025 stop in Manta took place under Ecuadorian and Colombian security escort.
- Noboa’s allegation, aired Saturday in a Semana interview, said Petro met members of Revolución Ciudadana and claimed some had ties to Fito, while he stated he could not confirm a face‑to‑face meeting with the gang leader.
- The rift has widened into policy and diplomacy, with matching 100% import charges and ambassadorial recalls after separate quarrels that include the case of jailed ex–vice president Jorge Glas.
- Ecuador defends the trade measures by citing a roughly $1.2 billion deficit with Colombia and an added $400 million a year to deploy troops along the border to stem drug loads and guerrilla presence.
- Fito leads the gang Los Choneros, escaped an Ecuadorian prison in January 2024, was recaptured in June 2025, and was extradited to the United States on July 20, 2025 to face federal charges in New York.