Bogota. Colombia’s newly elected President Abelardo De La Espriella has urged the United States to remove the additional customs duties imposed on goods from his country in American customs. In a phone call with President Donald Trump, Espriella urged for the temporary removal of tariffs imposed on his earthquake-affected country.
At least 294 people have died in the powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake that struck Colombia on Monday. Tens of thousands of buildings across the country have been damaged. It is estimated that approximately $6.4 billion will be needed for post-earthquake reconstruction.
The United States had increased the tariff on most Colombian goods from 10 percent to 12.5 percent at the end of July. However, some items like coffee and oil have been exempted. The United States is Colombia’s largest export market. Espriella made such a request amidst concerns that the new tariffs could put further pressure on Colombian businesses during the reconstruction period.
Espriella and Trump spoke on the phone for 10 minutes. Espriella described this conversation as friendly and cordial. He urged for the temporary removal of tariffs, stating that the country is facing significant economic challenges in rebuilding after the earthquake.
Espriella had previously won the election with Trump’s support. After taking office, he included Colombia in the Trump-led anti-drug and anti-cartel coalition called Shield of the Americas. He has also put forward plans to increase military cooperation with the United States and Israel.