A Trade Crisis Collides With a Natural Disaster
On August 10, 2026, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake tore through western Colombia, reducing buildings to rubble in Cali, Pereira, Quibdó, and Manizales. Within days, the humanitarian toll had climbed to a staggering level: over 294 people confirmed dead, more than 3,900 injured, over 300 missing, and nearly 13,000 homes destroyed. Then, on Saturday August 15, Colombia's newly inaugurated president, Abelardo de la Espriella, picked up the phone and called Donald Trump — not just to seek condolences, but to ask the US to temporarily suspend the trade tariffs that Washington imposed on Colombian goods just three weeks before the earthquake struck. For US importers sourcing cut flowers, coffee, coal, crude oil, or any other Colombian commodity, the intersection of this natural disaster with a fast-shifting tariff landscape demands immediate attention.
What Happened on August 10
The earthquake's epicentre was in San José del Palmar in the Chocó region, approximately 400 kilometres west of Bogotá. The Mw 7.4–7.5 earthquake killed at least 294 people, injured more than 3,900 others, and left more than 300 confirmed missing, causing extensive damage across the country. The earthquake was felt across much of western and central Colombia and in parts of neighbouring Ecuador and Panama, causing extensive damage in Cali, Pereira, Quibdó, Manizales, and other areas. The Colombian government declared a national emergency and launched search and rescue operations in affected areas.
The impact on logistics infrastructure was severe and immediate. Infrastructure throughout the affected region was badly damaged, including roads, tunnels, and bridges, and the Matecaña International Airport in Pereira was closed to regular commercial flights due to earthquake damage. Several other airports, including those in Armenia, Quibdó, and Buenaventura, resumed operations with restrictions, while major hubs such as Cali's Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport and Bogotá's El Dorado were open but experiencing delays. The port of Buenaventura — Colombia's most important Pacific gateway — sits in a region where aviation and ground access were directly disrupted.
The Tariff Backdrop: From CTPA to 12.5 Percent
To understand why President de la Espriella's call to Trump mattered so much commercially, importers need context on how quickly the tariff picture changed for Colombia.
The Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (COTPA) went into effect on May 15, 2012, and under it most Colombian goods entered the United States free of duty and the merchandise processing fee. For over a decade, that framework governed everything from fresh-cut carnations to crude petroleum.
Then came 2026. The increased tariffs went into effect on July 24, replacing an expiring global duty rolled out by the Trump administration earlier this year. US tariffs on Colombian products rose from 10 percent to 12.5 percent in late July, with exceptions including coffee and oil. So three weeks before the earthquake struck, Colombian exporters had already absorbed a meaningful cost increase on products like flowers — a sector that had previously enjoyed zero-tariff access under the CTPA.
The Tariff Suspension Request
Colombia's new president, Abelardo de la Espriella, formally requested that the Donald Trump administration temporarily suspend the trade tariffs imposed on products from Colombia, seeking to provide immediate financial relief to the Colombian business sector severely affected by the devastating earthquake.
De la Espriella confirmed via his X account that he had a 10-minute call with President Trump, during which the president expressed his condolences for the fatalities in cities such as Cali and Pereira, where the earthquake left nearly 300 dead and destroyed nearly 13,000 homes. The Colombian president specifically cited the need to ease conditions for businesses, proposing to Trump the temporary suspension of the 12.5 percent tariff that the United States applies to some Colombian imports such as flowers.
The White House issued no statement on the content of the call. As of this writing, Washington has not publicly announced any tariff relief for Colombia.
Why Colombian Exports Matter to US Supply Chains
The scale of the bilateral trade relationship explains why this situation is more than a diplomatic footnote. According to the US Census Bureau, US imports of goods from Colombia reached $17.81 billion in 2025.
In April 2026, the top exports of Colombia to the United States were crude petroleum at $561 million, gold at $192 million, and cut flowers at $170 million. Beyond energy and precious metals, Colombia's agricultural exports are deeply embedded in everyday American consumption. Among the top imports that the USA receives from Colombia are refined petroleum, coal, coffee, cut flowers, and bananas.
For the cut flower sector specifically, the stakes are enormous. Colombia is the second-largest flower exporter in the world after the Netherlands, with nearly all production dedicated to export. The main export markets for Colombian flowers include the United States, Canada, the UK, Japan, and the Netherlands. The tariff increase that took effect in July was already causing pain in this sector even before the earthquake — industry representatives estimate the tariff adds more than $200 million in annual costs to the sector.
Supply Chain Disruptions Already Unfolding
The combination of physical infrastructure damage and a pre-existing tariff burden creates a compounding problem for importers.
On the logistics side, the affected cities sit at the heart of Colombia's coffee-growing and flower-producing regions. Pereira is the capital of Risaralda, one of Colombia's most productive flower and coffee departments. Cali is the country's third-largest city and a major hub for agri-export processing. The 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Colombia, and post-earthquake reconstruction is expected to cost around $6.4 billion — all while the country has been hit by renewed US tariffs.
Ground transport disruptions mean that export cargo that normally moves from farms in Risaralda or Valle del Cauca to Bogotá or Cali by road faces delays and rerouting. Cold-chain integrity for perishable goods — particularly cut flowers and fresh produce — is especially vulnerable when roads are damaged and airport operations are restricted.
On the trade compliance side, importers should note that even if a tariff suspension were granted, it would not be automatic. Any relief would require a formal regulatory mechanism, and until that mechanism is published in the Federal Register, importers must continue paying applicable duties at current rates.
What Importers Sourcing From Colombia Should Do Now
This situation calls for a structured review rather than a wait-and-see approach. Importers with Colombian supply chains should take several steps immediately.
Audit your current HTS classifications and duty rates
Not all Colombian goods are subject to the same tariff layer. Coffee and oil were cited as exceptions to the 12.5 percent rate. Your customs broker partner should confirm the applicable Chapter 99 provisions for every HTS code you import from Colombia.
Review your CTPA certificate documentation
Most Colombian export volume enters the United States duty-free under the US-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement, which took effect in May 2012. However, IEEPA-based tariff surcharges can stack on top of CTPA preferences. Ensuring your certificates of origin are current and accurate positions you correctly if tariff structures change again.
Monitor shipment routing and carrier alerts
With multiple airports operating at reduced capacity and road infrastructure damaged across Colombia's western corridor, freight forwarders with Colombian expertise are your fastest source of real-time routing intelligence. Air cargo capacity out of Colombia was already constrained before the earthquake; the physical damage adds another layer.
Plan for price volatility in Colombian commodities
In April 2026, the year-on-year decline in Colombia's exports to the United States was driven mainly by coffee, down $137 million or 51.5 percent, and cut flowers, down $22.6 million or 11.8 percent. That downward trend pre-dates the earthquake. Supply disruptions in the coming weeks could reverse volumes sharply, affecting pricing for anyone sourcing Colombian flowers or specialty coffee.
Watch Federal Register and USTR announcements
If Washington does grant any form of tariff relief — whether a suspension, an exclusion, or a temporary reduction — it will appear through an official regulatory publication. Set up monitoring for Federal Register notices related to Colombia and IEEPA.
How ASR Can Help
Navigating a dual shock — infrastructure disruption plus active tariff uncertainty — requires freight forwarding expertise with real-time insight into Latin American corridors. ASR WorldWide Express is a licensed freight forwarder coordinating cargo movement between Colombia and the United States, working alongside trusted licensed customs broker partners to ensure your shipments are classified correctly and cleared efficiently even as regulatory conditions shift. Whether you are managing time-sensitive cut flower shipments, bulk coffee containers, or industrial goods, our team monitors routing conditions and tariff developments on your behalf.
Contact our Miami team today for a consultation on your Colombian supply chain exposure.
Phone: +1 786 373 3003
Email: shipping@asrwe.com
Important Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or customs advice. Tariff rates, regulatory exemptions, and trade relief mechanisms can change rapidly. All information reflects publicly available sources as of August 16, 2026. Importers and exporters should consult a licensed customs broker or qualified trade attorney before making sourcing, classification, or compliance decisions based on any tariff developments discussed here.
