Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has appealed to US President Donald Trump to suspend tariffs as the South American nation struggles to recover from a devastating earthquake that has claimed at least 289 lives. The 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck earlier this week, causing widespread destruction across western Colombia and hitting major urban centers such as Pereira, Cali, and Quibdo.
De la Espriella, who assumed office earlier this month, has consistently sought to emphasize his close ties with Washington. He was endorsed by Trump during Colombia’s presidential race, which was decided in a runoff on June 21. In a recent post, de la Espriella noted that he had spoken with Trump to express gratitude for emergency assistance and asked him to consider the temporary suspension of high tariffs affecting Colombian products.
The request aims to provide relief to Colombian businesspeople who are facing difficult times due to the effects of the earthquake. The Trump administration has not yet responded to de la Espriella’s request. However, the US State Department confirmed that the United States has pledged $26.5 million in total emergency support, supplying health items, emergency shelters, and food provisions.
The earthquake has caused severe damage along the Pacific coastline, prompting the president to declare a natural disaster. Official statistics list 143 individuals as missing, although independent civilian tracking platforms suggest that the true figure may be in the thousands. The disaster has injured 3,937 people, according to official government figures, and centered in Choco, one of the country’s most impoverished regions.
Rescue crews continue searching for missing residents, with teams holding out hope for finding survivors trapped beneath collapsed structures. In Cali, Colombia’s third-largest city, authorities reported that 14,705 residences were completely destroyed, while an additional 81,536 sustained structural damage. Despite the critical 48-to-72-hour window for locating living victims having passed, Cali Mayor Alejandro Eder expressed hope for finding survivors, saying
