Colombian President Requests Tariff Suspension After Earthquake

On Saturday, Colombia’s newly elected President, Abelardo de la Espriella, urged U.S. President Trump to suspend tariffs affecting Colombia. The country is facing challenges following a devastating earthquake. These tariffs on Colombian products increased from 10% to 12.5% at the end of July, but coffee and oil were exempted.

President De la Espriella used the platform X to appeal for a temporary suspension of these tariffs. He emphasized the economic hardships Colombian business owners are dealing with due to the earthquake’s impact. The tariff increase took effect on July 24, replacing an expiring global duty established by the Trump administration earlier in the year.

After a brief ten-minute conversation with President Trump, De la Espriella shared that Trump expressed condolences over the earthquake’s casualties. He described the conversation as friendly and cordial, stressing that rebuilding Colombia amidst a tough economic situation is a major challenge.

The earthquake severely hit western Colombian cities like Cali and Pereira, leading to nearly 300 deaths and the destruction of approximately 13,000 homes. Images show debris in Pereira, highlighting the disaster’s impact.

The Trump administration implemented tariffs up to 12.5% on 60 countries, including Colombia, citing inadequate action against forced labor. These tariffs are under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, replacing previous levies from February under Section 122.

Earlier, the Supreme Court nullified tariffs from President Trump enacted under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977, ruling they lacked congressional authorization.

President Trump supported De la Espriella, a right-wing lawyer-turned-politician, during his presidential campaign. De la Espriella followed Gustavo Petro, a leftist whose term saw tension with the White House. Petro faced sanctions from the U.S. Treasury and was reportedly under a narcotics investigation.

De la Espriella aligned with the Shield of the Americas, an anti-cartel group led by Trump. It includes Latin American countries like Argentina, Ecuador, and El Salvador, focusing on combatting transnational crime. He also plans a military alliance with the U.S. and Israel to support his crusade against guerrillas.