Colombia Pres. Asks for Tariff Pause   08/17 06:20

   

   BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) -- Colombia's President Abelardo de la Espriella has 
asked his ally U.S. President Donald Trump to suspend tariffs to help the South 
American nation recover from a powerful earthquake that killed at least 289 
people.

   De la Espriella took office earlier this month just days before the 7.4 
magnitude quake struck. He was backed by Trump in Colombia's closely contested 
presidential election, which was decided in a runoff on June 21, and has sought 
to emphasize his connections with the U.S. leader.

   On Saturday night, de la Espriella wrote on X that he spoke with Trump and 
thanked him for aid sent by the U.S. in response to the earthquake. He added 
that he "asked him to consider the temporary suspension of the high tariffs 
that affect Colombian products, in order to provide relief to our 
businesspeople, who are facing very difficult times due to the effects of the 
earthquake."

   There has been no immediate response from the Trump administration to de la 
Espriella's request. The U.S. has offered a total of $26.5 million in 
earthquake aid, including food, shelters and health supplies, according to the 
U.S. State Department.

   The earthquake that struck Monday morning devastated parts of western 
Colombia, hitting cities including Pereira, Cali and Quibdo. Cities along the 
country's Pacific coast were hit particularly hard. The president declared the 
quake a natural disaster.

   The government has said that 143 people are missing, while other 
civilian-run databases put the number in the thousands.

   The natural disaster, whose epicenter was in one of the poorest regions of 
the country, Choco, has so far left 3,937 people injured, according to the 
government. In addition, it destroyed 14,705 homes and damaged another 81,536.

   In Cali, Colombia's third biggest city, workers searched for the more than 
70 people reported missing in that city. Hope remained alive even after the key 
48 to 72 hour window to find survivors beneath the rubble has long passed.

   "Miracles do happen" even though more than 120 hours have passed since the 
earthquake struck, said Cali Mayor Alejandro Eder from the unified command 
post. "We are working where we know there are still victims; we are working in 
the hope of rescuing people alive."