Barista cafe owner Lina Bulla said most of her menu is Colombian cuisine and drinks, and about half of her products are shipped directly from Colombia.
She’s worried prices on these products may go up, after President Trump threatened to slap tariffs on Colombian imports and to cut aid for the South American nation, amid tensions between the two countries’ presidents.
Bulla is worried that she may have to pass higher costs on to the consumer.
“Some customers that are from Colombia will understand the conflict. But others that do not, I’m worried that we could lose them because of these increases,” she said.
Trump called Colombian President Gustavo Petro an “illegal drug dealer.”
“They make drugs. They refine drugs, they make cocaine, they have cocaine factories. They have no fight against drugs, and I’m stopping all payments to Colombia,” Trump said.
President Petro has accused the U.S. government of committing murder on social media. He alleged a missile strike in September killed a Colombian fisherman.
In South Florida, Bulla said she may just stock up on her products before costs go up, but she’d have to find room in this thin little eatery in Coral Gables.
“In my case, this is a small place, I’ll have to rent a storage to keep more produce at the price that they are now,” Bulla said.
This isn’t the first time Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on Colombia. When asked how much these tariffs would be, he told reporters he’d likely have a number later Monday, Oct. 20.
