Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella on Saturday asked US President Donald Trump to temporarily suspend tariffs on Colombian products, following a 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck the country earlier in the week, killing nearly 300 people and destroying close to 13,000 homes, according to CBS News.
Colombia requests tariff suspension from US after deadly earthquake
Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella on Saturday asked US President Donald Trump to temporarily suspend tariffs on Colombian products, following a 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck the country earlier in the week, killing nearly 300 people and destroying close to 13,000 homes, according to CBS News.
De la Espriella said he spoke with Trump by phone for approximately ten minutes, during which Trump expressed condolences over the deaths caused by the earthquake. The Colombian president described the conversation as 'very friendly and cordial,' according to CBS News.
The earthquake devastated the western Colombian cities of Cali and Pereira, according to CBS News. De la Espriella said on the social platform X that he asked Trump '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.'
US tariffs on Colombian goods rose from 10% to 12.5% in late July, with exceptions for products including coffee and oil, according to CBS News. The increased tariffs took effect on July 24 under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, replacing levies that had been enacted under Section 122 of the same act and had expired.
According to CBS News, those Section 301 and Section 122 tariff measures followed a February ruling by the US Supreme Court that struck down broader tariffs Trump had imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977, finding they had been enacted without congressional authorization.
The tariffs were imposed on Colombia and approximately 60 other nations, which the Trump administration accused of failing to address forced labor, according to CBS News.
De la Espriella, described by CBS News as a millionaire lawyer-turned-politician, was endorsed by Trump during his presidential campaign. He succeeded leftist Gustavo Petro, whose government was frequently at odds with the White House. According to CBS News, Petro was sanctioned by the US Treasury Department last October and was reportedly the subject of a federal narcotics investigation.
Since taking office, De la Espriella has joined the Shield of the Americas, an anti-cartel alliance headed by Trump that includes Argentina, Ecuador, and El Salvador, according to CBS News. He also plans to forge a military alliance with the US and Israel to assist his government's efforts against guerrilla groups.
- The White House had not responded to CBS News's request for comment on the tariff suspension request at the time of reporting.
- It is not established whether Trump indicated any willingness to grant or consider the tariff suspension request.
- The full scope and timeline of the earthquake's economic impact on Colombia has not been detailed by any of the sources.
- No independent assessment of the Colombian economy's condition or the tariffs' specific effect on reconstruction efforts is provided.
- None of the sources report any response from the US Congress or trade bodies regarding the request.
- The Independent — original — by Eric Garcia
- The Straits Times — by The Straits Times
- Associated Press
- CBS News
- The Japan Times — by Allison Schrager
Read the original at The Independent