Submit-earthquake reconstruction is predicted to value round $6.4bn, however Colombia has been hit by renewed US tariffs.
Revealed On 15 Aug 2026
Colombia’s new president has known as on United States President Donald Trump to droop tariffs focusing on the South American nation, which is reeling from a lethal earthquake that has killed a whole bunch.
President Abelardo de la Espriella stated Saturday that he had requested the US “briefly droop” tariffs on Colombia to present “reduction” to enterprise house owners.
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On Monday, a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Colombia, killing at the very least 294 individuals and damaging or destroying tens of hundreds of buildings throughout the nation, in accordance with Colombia’s Nationwide Unit for Catastrophe Threat Administration.
US tariffs on Colombian merchandise rose from 10 % to 12.5 % in late July, with just a few exceptions together with espresso and oil. The US is Colombia’s high export market.
The Colombian chief described his 10-minute dialog with President Trump as “very pleasant and cordial”.
“I advised him that now we have an enormous problem forward: rebuilding Colombia amid the extraordinarily tough and apocalyptic financial scenario that I inherited,” de la Espriella stated.
Colombia’s Finance Minister Miguel Gomez stated the federal government was not but contemplating elevating taxes to seek out the roughly $6.4bn wanted for reconstruction, native media have reported.
Shortly after a legal defeat on “Liberation Day” tariffs, the White Home introduced renewed tariffs focusing on practically each US buying and selling accomplice, together with Colombia, primarily based on what it stated have been failures to uphold anti-forced labour measures.
Trump endorsed the right-wing de la Espriella, a millionaire lawyer-turned-politician, throughout his run for the presidency that culminated in an in depth victory over leftist Ivan Cepeda in June.
Since taking workplace in early August, de la Espriella has joined the so-called “Protect of the Americas”, an anti-cartel alliance headed by Trump and involving a number of South American nations.
The brand new Colombian president has additionally stated he plans to forge a army alliance with the US and Israel to assist bolster the nation’s long-running battle with armed teams.
