Daniel Noboa Azín

Daniel Noboa used Davos 2026 as a platform to escalate Ecuador's dispute with Colombia, announcing tariffs that would take effect February 1. This aggressive posture generated significant media attention but at a reputational cost, producing the most negative sentiment among world leaders in his coverage bracket.

The trade action stemmed from border security tensions. Noboa cited Ecuador's "genuine efforts to cooperate with Colombia, even with a trade deficit exceeding $1 billion annually," while demanding Colombian commitment to "jointly combat drug trafficking and illegal mining on the border, with the same seriousness and resolve that Ecuador is demonstrating today." This framing positioned Ecuador as the aggrieved party forced to act.

Coverage patterns reflected the regional nature of the story. El Mercurio de Santiago led with 13 articles, while outlets across Latin America (Excelsior, El Destape, LaRepublica.pe, Diario El Salvador, El Diario-Manabita) provided extensive coverage. French-language outlets (France 24, BFMTV) amplified the story to European audiences.

The sharp January 22 spike (142 quotes) followed by rapid decline (27 quotes on January 23, 3 on January 24) indicates a single news event driving coverage rather than sustained engagement. His 25% positive sentiment contrasted starkly with regional peers like Nara Lokesh, Pralhad Joshi, and M.B. Patil, all of whom achieved 100% positive coverage. The Colombia confrontation succeeded in generating attention but damaged Noboa's media positioning.