Colombia's president asks Trump to lift tariffs after earthquake
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- President Abelardo de la Espriella asked Trump to "temporarily suspend" tariffs on Colombia, telling him the country faces an "apocalyptic economic situation" in the wake of a deadly earthquake.
- A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Colombia on Monday, killing at least 294 people and damaging or destroying tens of thousands of buildings, according to Colombia's National Unit for Disaster Risk Management.
- Post-earthquake reconstruction is expected to cost approximately $6.4 billion, though Finance Minister Miguel Gomez said the government is not yet considering raising taxes to fund it.
- US tariffs on Colombian products rose from 10% to 12.5% in late July (with exceptions for coffee and oil), and the renewed levies were announced shortly after a legal defeat on "Liberation Day" tariffs, justified by alleged failures to uphold anti-forced labour measures.
- De la Espriella called his 10-minute conversation with Trump "very friendly and cordial" — the two leaders have a personal political connection, as Trump endorsed de la Espriella during his campaign.
- De la Espriella narrowly defeated leftist Ivan Cepeda in June and took office in early August, then joined the "Shield of the Americas" anti-cartel alliance led by Trump and announced plans for a military alliance with the US and Israel.
Why it matters: The US is Colombia's top export market, so the recently increased 12.5% tariff rate hits Colombian exporters at the worst possible moment — mid-reconstruction from a quake that has killed 294 people and demands roughly $6.4 billion in rebuilding costs. The episode shows how quickly renewed anti-forced-labour tariffs can compound disaster costs for a key American trading partner whose new leader personally courted Trump's endorsement.
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