Colombian President Asks Trump to Suspend Tariffs After Devastating Earthquake

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has appealed to his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, for a temporary halt to American tariffs on Colombian goods. This plea comes in the wake of a devastating earthquake that struck the country earlier this week, causing widespread damage and economic hardship.

The tariffs in question, which were increased in late July from 10% to 12.5% on certain Colombian products, are seen as an additional burden on businesses already struggling with the earthquake's aftermath. De la Espriella specifically asked Trump to consider suspending these tariffs to provide relief to Colombian entrepreneurs facing difficult times.

“

I asked him to consider the temporary suspension of the high tariffs that affect Colombian products, in order to alleviate our entrepreneurs, who are facing very difficult times due to the effects of the earthquake.

In addition to the tariff request, President de la Espriella expressed his gratitude to President Trump for the United States' swift response. He specifically thanked the U.S. for its economic assistance and the deployment of rescue teams, acknowledging their crucial role in the ongoing relief efforts following the natural disaster.

“

I just spoke for ten minutes with President Donald Trump. I thanked him profoundly for all the economic aid and the support of the U.S. rescue teams in the face of the tragedy we are experiencing.