On Saturday, Colombia’s new President, Abelardo de la Espriella, called on U.S. President Donald Trump to suspend tariffs that currently affect the South American nation. This appeal comes amid the aftermath of a deadly earthquake that struck the country.
The United States increased tariffs on Colombian products from 10% to 12.5% in late July, excluding items like coffee and oil. “I asked him to temporarily suspend the high tariffs affecting Colombian products to provide relief to business owners facing difficult times due to the earthquake,” De la Espriella stated on X.
The tariffs, effective since July 24, replaced an expiring global duty introduced by the Trump administration earlier in the year. De la Espriella mentioned a brief 10-minute conversation with Trump, where the U.S. leader expressed condolences for the earthquake victims. “The conversation was friendly and cordial,” De la Espriella noted. “I expressed the massive challenge of rebuilding Colombia in the current dire economic situation.”
CBS News sought comment from the White House concerning the request. The earthquake devastated the Colombian cities of Cali and Pereira, causing nearly 300 fatalities and destroying around 13,000 homes. Images show the aftermath in Pereira days after the 7.4-magnitude quake.
In July, the Trump administration imposed tariffs of up to 12.5% on 60 nations, including Colombia, citing failures to eliminate forced labor. These tariffs, enacted under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, replaced those imposed under Section 122, which had expired. The move came after the Supreme Court struck down other tariffs tied to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977, citing a lack of congressional authorization.
President Trump had supported De la Espriella, a wealthy lawyer-turned-politician, during his presidential campaign. De la Espriella succeeded the leftist Gustavo Petro, who often clashed with the White House. Last October, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Petro, later revealed to be involved in a federal narcotics probe.
Since taking office, De la Espriella joined the “Shield of the Americas,” an alliance against cartels led by Trump. It includes pro-U.S. Latin American governments like Argentina, Ecuador, and El Salvador. Participating countries share information and coordinate efforts to combat transnational crime. De la Espriella intends to form a military alliance with the U.S. and Israel to aid in his campaign against guerrilla groups.
Leave a Reply