Colombia asks Washington to suspend 12.5% tariffs over the earthquake emergency

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has urged the United States to temporarily suspend tariffs on Colombian goods following the devastating 7.4 magnitude earthquake that struck the country on Monday. The request was made via Twitter following a "friendly" 10-minute phone call between the two leaders. De la Espriella cited the economic hardships faced by Colombian businesses in the wake of the disaster, stating that suspending the high tariffs would provide much-needed relief.

The United States had previously increased tariffs on Colombian imports from 10% to 12.5% at the end of July, with exceptions made for certain sectors such as coffee and oil. Flower growing, a major export for Colombia, is also affected by the tariff increase. De la Espriella thanked Trump for the economic assistance and rescue teams that the US had deployed and expressed condolences for the victims.

He emphasized the importance of the alliance between Colombia and the US for the nation's reconstruction efforts, particularly in the face of Colombia's already challenging economic situation, with a fiscal deficit of 6.4% of GDP and a record public debt of 1,167 trillion pesos.