Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has appealed to U.S. President Donald Trump to temporarily suspend tariffs on Colombian products, aiming to support the South American nation's recovery from a devastating 7.4 magnitude earthquake.
De la Espriella, who assumed office earlier this month, stated on X (formerly Twitter) that he spoke with Trump and expressed gratitude for U.S. aid. He also formally requested that Trump "consider the temporary suspension of the high tariffs that affect Colombian products, in order to provide relief to our businesspeople, who are facing very difficult times due to the effects of the earthquake."
The U.S. State Department confirmed that the U.S. has provided $26.5 million in earthquake relief, including food, shelter, and health supplies. A response from the Trump administration to the tariff suspension request has not yet been issued.
The earthquake, which struck Monday morning with its epicenter in the impoverished Choco region, devastated parts of western Colombia, including the cities of Pereira, Cali, and Quibdo. Cities along the Pacific coast were particularly hard-hit. The president has officially declared the event a natural disaster.
According to the government, 289 people have been confirmed dead, with 143 still missing. Civilian databases suggest the number of missing individuals could be in the thousands. The disaster has left 3,937 people injured, destroyed 14,705 homes, and damaged an additional 81,536.
In Cali, Colombia's third-largest city, rescue efforts continued for over 70 reported missing individuals, even after the critical 48- to 72-hour window for finding survivors had passed. Cali Mayor Alejandro Eder expressed hope, stating, "Miracles do happen" and that search teams were focused on areas where victims were believed to be trapped.