Colombia asks Trump to suspend tariffs as country reels from earthquake

Colombia's President Abelardo de la Espriella has appealed to U.S. President Donald Trump to temporarily lift tariffs on Colombian goods. The plea aims to provide economic relief as the South American nation confronts the devastating aftermath of a powerful earthquake.

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temporarily suspend

The 7.4-magnitude earthquake, which struck Colombia recently, has claimed the lives of at least 294 people. It also caused significant damage, with tens of thousands of buildings destroyed or rendered unusable across the country, according to Colombia's National Unit for Disaster Risk Management.

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relief

De la Espriella described his conversation with President Trump as "very friendly and cordial." He explained the immense challenge of rebuilding Colombia amidst a difficult economic situation he inherited. The president highlighted the urgent need for relief for business owners facing renewed U.S. tariffs, which increased from 10 percent to 12.5 percent in late July for most Colombian products, excluding coffee and oil. The U.S. remains Colombia's primary export market.

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very friendly and cordial

Reconstruction efforts are projected to cost approximately $6.4 billion. While the government is not currently considering tax increases to fund this, the economic strain from the tariffs complicates the recovery process. The White House had previously announced renewed tariffs on various trading partners, including Colombia, citing failures to uphold anti-forced labor measures.

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I told him that we have a huge challenge ahead: rebuilding Colombia amid the extremely difficult and apocalyptic economic situation that I inherited