Colombia’s president asks Trump to suspend tariffs amid earthquake recovery

Colombia's newly inaugurated President Abelardo de la Espriella has approached his U.S. ally, President Donald Trump, in a bid to suspend tariffs in the wake of a devastating earthquake. The 7.4 magnitude quake, which killed at least 289 people, struck western Colombia earlier this month. De la Espriella, who won the presidential election with Trump's support, has been vocal about his ties to the U.S. leader.

He informed Trump via X that he had discussed the suspension of high tariffs on Colombian products, citing the economic challenges faced by businesses amid the earthquake's aftermath. As of now, the U.S. administration has not commented on de la Espriella's appeal. The U.S. has pledged US$26.5 million in aid to Colombia, including food, shelters, and health supplies.

The earthquake, which hit cities like Pereira, Cali, and Quibdo, particularly affected the Pacific coast region. With 3,937 people confirmed dead, 143 still missing, and over 3,900 injured, the government has declared the quake a natural disaster. At least 14,705 homes were destroyed and an additional 81,536 were damaged. Despite the passage of more than 120 hours since the quake, hope remains alive as search and rescue operations continue in Cali, Colombia's third largest city, where over 70 people remain unaccounted for.