Colombian president says he asked Trump to suspend tariffs after earthquake
Summary
Colombia’s new President Abelardo de la Espriella asked President Trump to temporarily stop U.S. tariffs on Colombian goods to help after a recent deadly earthquake. The tariffs increased from 10% to 12.5% last month and are hurting Colombian businesses during a difficult recovery.Key Facts
- U.S. tariffs on Colombian products rose from 10% to 12.5% on July 24, 2026, except for coffee and oil.
- President de la Espriella requested President Trump to suspend these tariffs temporarily to support Colombian businesses after the earthquake.
- The earthquake on August 7 had a magnitude of 7.4, killed nearly 300 people, and destroyed about 13,000 homes.
- The tariffs were imposed due to accusations that Colombia did not stop forced labor practices.
- The tariffs were applied under Section 301 of the U.S. Trade Act of 1974 after earlier tariffs under a different law were ruled illegal by the U.S. Supreme Court.
- President Trump and President de la Espriella had a friendly 10-minute phone call where Trump offered condolences.
- De la Espriella succeeded former President Gustavo Petro and has aligned Colombia more closely with the U.S. and other pro-U.S. Latin American governments.
- Colombia has joined the “Shield of the Americas,” a security alliance led by the U.S. to fight organized crime and cartels.
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