Coal producers, grouped in Fenalcarbón, expressed their disagreement with the national government’s proposal to suspend coal exports to Israel, according to information known by Colombia radio station W Radio.
According to the union, This measure is “arbitrary, illegal and unconstitutional”, in addition to attacking the freedom of business and putting the political and economic stability of Colombia at risk.
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Fenalcarbón warned that implementing this proposal would have serious consequences for the country, especially for thermal coal-producing regions such as La Guajira and Cesar.
Carlos Cante, president of the union, stated to that media outlet that This trade measure would negatively affect the interests of the national industry, generating uncertainty in the coal sector and its production chain.
Cante explained that “the coal industry has been opening a commercial space with Israel for more than three decades thanks to the recognized quality of Colombian coals. In 1990 we exported only 600 thousand tons, and currently there are more than 3 million tons, representing more than 50% of that country’s coal imports for electricity generation. If Colombia self-restricts exports, it is a detriment only for us because that volume will easily be covered by Australia or Indonesia.”
The union highlighted that the suspension of exports would cause an annual loss of nearly 470 million dollars in foreign currency, affecting business freedom and legitimate trust. Fenalcarbón also noted that this decision would negatively impact the payment of rent and royalties, crucial for the departments of La Guajira and Cesar, which would see an average reduction of 10% and 6% in production, respectively.
Finally, Fenalcarbón sent a message to the President of the Republic, Gustavo Petro, pointing out that, although the measure was adopted in response to differences with the Government of Israel and its military intervention in Gaza, these types of actions do not contribute to the solution of the conflict and do harm the well-being of the Colombian nation.
President Gustavo Petro communicated a significant decision regarding Colombia’s commercial relations with Israel and in response to what he has described as a “genocide” due to the war being waged against Palestine.
Petro announced through its X account that Colombia will suspend coal exports to Israel due to the attacks in the Gaza Strip.
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“We are going to suspend coal exports to Israel until the genocide stops,” Petro said in his message, reaffirming his position on the conflict between Israel and Hamas. This measure reflects the position of the Colombian president regarding the recent clashes.
Once again, the president used his social networks to express his indignation and concern about the escalation of violence in Gaza. In his message, he called the attacks a “genocide” and emphasized the need to act accordingly.
In the same message, the head of state included a link where you can see the draft of the decree, which still does not have a number or sanction date. This specifies the reasons why Petro made this decision.
The measure affects exports of hard coal and briquettes (coal), classified under tariff subheading 2701.12.00.10. The decree that would be signed in the coming days establishes in this regard that the ban on exports to the State of Israel will include certain exceptions.
According to the document issued by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, these restrictions will not apply to goods that already have a Shipping Authorization Request accepted by the Dian before the entry into force of the decree.
