Colombian president says he asked Trump to suspend tariffs after earthquake

August 15, 2026 / 6:40 PM EDT / CBS/AFP Colombia's new President Abelardo de la Espriella on Saturday called on President Trump to suspend tariffs currently targeting the South American nation, which is reeling after a deadly earthquake . U.S. tariffs on Colombian products rose from 10% to 12.5% in late July, with a few exceptions including coffee and oil. "I asked him to consider to temporarily suspend the high tariffs that are affecting Colombian products, in order to give some relief to our business owners, who are facing very difficult times due to the effects of the earthquake," De la Espriella said on X . The increased tariffs went into effect on July 24, replacing an expiring global duty rolled out by the Trump administration earlier this year. De la Espriella said he has spoken for about 10 minutes with Mr. The tremor devastated the western Colombian cities of Cali and Pereira, leaving nearly 300 people dead and destroying almost 13,000 homes.

Missing media or need the complete publisher report? Open CBS News ↗