Colombia's president urges Trump to pause tariff hike after deadly quake
President Abelardo de la Espriella asked U.S. President Donald Trump to temporarily suspend increased tariffs on Colombian goods following a fatal 7.4-magnitude earthquake.
In the wake of a powerful earthquake that struck western Colombia on Aug 10, leaving almost 300 dead and razing roughly 13,000 homes, President Abelardo de la Espriella reached out to U.S. President Donald Trump to request a temporary suspension of recently increased tariffs on Colombian exports. The duties, which rose from 10 % to 12.5 % on July 24, affect most products except coffee and oil. De la Espriella conveyed that the higher tariffs are compounding the difficulties faced by Colombian entrepreneurs as the nation works to rebuild.
He reported a brief, cordial exchange with Trump, who expressed condolences for the quake victims. The appeal comes as de la Espriella, a right-wing millionaire lawyer, aligns Colombia with the “Shield of the Americas,” a US-led anti-cartel coalition that includes several Latin American states.
Why it matters
Tariff relief could ease economic strain on Colombian businesses trying to recover from a deadly earthquake.
How the sides frame it
MODERATE AGREEMENTBoth camps report the Colombian president’s request to pause U.S. tariffs after the quake, but the right-leaning coverage adds detail about his right-wing background and alignment with a US-led anti-cartel coalition.
LEFT
Left-leaning coverage frames the story as the Colombian president seeking urgent tariff relief to help a nation devastated by a deadly earthquake.
RIGHT
Right-leaning coverage frames the story as the Colombian president’s tariff appeal while highlighting his right-wing, millionaire-lawyer profile and his alignment with a US anti-cartel coalition.
The left emphasises
- temporarily suspend tariffs
- deadly earthquake killed almost 300 and razed roughly 13,000 homes
- tariff increase compounding an already severe economic situation
The right emphasises
- temporary suspension of recently increased tariffs
- higher tariffs compounding difficulties for Colombian entrepreneurs
- right-wing millionaire lawyer aligning Colombia with the “Shield of the Americas” anti-cartel coalition
How this story developed
- Aug 13 Colombia's President Declares Economic Emergency to Accelerate Earthquake Recovery
- Aug 14 Colombia asked Mexico’s rescue brigade to provide an additional certification before deployment.
- Aug 15 Authorities are weighing the relocation of residents from the temporary camp in La Libertad park due to concerns about additional building failures.
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