Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has asked US President Donald Trump to temporarily suspend tariffs on Colombian goods, saying the relief would help business owners as the country recovers from an earthquake that killed at least 294 people.
The 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck on Monday and damaged or destroyed tens of thousands of buildings across Colombia, according to the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management. The reconstruction bill is expected to be about $6.4bn.
What Colombia is asking for
De la Espriella said Saturday that he made the request during a 10-minute conversation with Trump, which he described as “very friendly and cordial”. The request is for a temporary suspension of the tariffs, not a permanent change to the trade relationship.
US tariffs on Colombian products rose from 10 percent to 12.5 percent in late July. Coffee and oil are among the exceptions identified in the source material, and the United States is Colombia’s top export market.
Related coverage: Colombia begins national mourning as earthquake rescue enters third day.
Why the timing matters
The tariff request comes as Colombia faces the cost of rebuilding after the earthquake. Finance Minister Miguel Gomez said the government was not yet considering higher taxes to raise the approximately $6.4bn needed for reconstruction, according to local media cited in the source material.
The renewed tariffs followed a legal defeat on “Liberation Day” tariffs. The White House said the new measures targeted nearly every US trading partner because of what it described as failures to uphold anti-forced labour measures.
What happens next
The source material does not report that Trump agreed to suspend the tariffs. Colombia’s request therefore remains a call for temporary relief while officials assess reconstruction needs and the effect of the higher import charges.
More context: Colombia earthquake kills at least 20 as buildings collapse.
De la Espriella took office in early August after a close victory over leftist Ivan Cepeda in June. Since taking office, he has joined the “Shield of the Americas”, an anti-cartel alliance headed by Trump and involving multiple South American nations. He has also said he plans to forge a military alliance with the United States and Israel to bolster Colombia’s conflict with armed groups.
Also read: Colombia’s new president vows to defeat armed groups.
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