President Abelardo de la Espriella has asked US President Donald Trump to temporarily suspend tariffs on Colombian goods as the country deals with the aftermath of a deadly earthquake.
Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has called on US President Donald Trump to suspend tariffs on Colombian products, saying the measure would provide relief as the country begins rebuilding after a devastating earthquake.
US tariffs on most Colombian goods increased from 10% to 12.5% on 24 July, with some products, including coffee and oil, exempted from the higher rate.
I asked him to consider to temporarily suspend the high tariffs that are affecting Colombian products, in order to give some relief to our business owners, who are facing very difficult times due to the effects of the earthquake, de la Espriella said on X.
Colombia seeks tariffs relief after earthquake
De la Espriella said he spoke with Trump for around 10 minutes and that the US president offered his condolences following Monday’s 7.4-magnitude earthquake.
The conversation was very friendly and cordial, the Colombian president said.
I told him that we have a huge challenge ahead: rebuilding Colombia amid the extremely difficult and apocalyptic economic situation that I inherited.
The earthquake caused extensive damage in western Colombia, particularly in Cali and Pereira. Nearly 300 people were reported killed, while almost 13,000 homes were damaged or destroyed.
The Colombian government is now facing the task of supporting affected communities and restoring damaged infrastructure.
Colombia strengthens ties with US
Trump endorsed de la Espriella, a lawyer and businessman, during his presidential campaign. De la Espriella succeeded left-wing President Gustavo Petro after winning the election.
Since taking office, the Colombian president has joined the so-called “Shield of the Americas”, an anti-cartel alliance backed by Trump and involving several governments across Latin America, including Argentina, Ecuador and El Salvador.
Members of the alliance share information and coordinate judicial and security efforts aimed at tackling transnational criminal activity.
De la Espriella has also said he plans to strengthen military cooperation with the US and Israel as part of his government’s efforts against armed groups in Colombia.
