Quito, August 28 (teleSUR-RHC)-- Cars backed up for miles has become a familiar scene on the Ecuador-Colombia border. Ecuadoreans fill the border city of Ipiales during the day. They buy TV sets, school supplies, clothing and other goods, and return to Ecuador in the evening.

The Colombian peso has declined in value by over 60 percent, which has meant that trade in the Ecuadorean border province of Carchi has suffered, as people cross the border to buy products at a lower price.

The fall of international oil prices, the appreciation of the U.S. dollar and the depreciation of the Colombian peso are some factors that have made 2015 a difficult fiscal year for Ecuador.

"We are analyzing this in the Committee of Productive Economic Development and Business. We went to Carchi to learn about how we can strengthen the economy within our powers, and how we can support the area through public policy," said member of the National Assembly for PAIS Alliance, Soledad Buendia.

The national government has declared that the Carchi province is a "depressed zone," due to the flight of local trade. But analysts say government stimulus plans will help stabilize the region. The National Development Bank and National Financial Corporation are providing credits to residents and restructuring debt, while the government is prioritizing contracts in the area to provide extra support.

Economist Jorge Salgado told teleSUR English, "There is not only the displacement of trade, but other sectors like tourism, activities and services that are affected by this change in peoples' decisions. The change is that people are choosing to consume in Colombia."

President Rafael Correa has refuted rumors that claim the country may move away from the U.S. dollar. The dollar was adopted in 2000 following a financial crisis, and while President Correa has said the move affected national sovereignty, he maintains the country will keep the dollar and continue investing in the public sector.

Ecuador's exports depend on the performance of the dollar, and with its appreciation the national budget is being revised by President Correa and his cabinet.

Polls reveal that 85 percent of Ecuadoreans believe the economy should remain dollarized, and the government has committed to provide support to stimulate national production.