Colombia limits foreign rescue teams as earthquake survival window narrows

Colombia has begun accepting international aid and rescue teams after an initial hesitation to accept some offers in the crucial hours following Monday's devastating earthquake. The delay has emerged as the first controversy for the country's new conservative government, led by President Abelardo de la Espriella, who assumed office just days before the disaster.

The situation is particularly urgent as the critical 72-hour window for rescuing survivors trapped under collapsed buildings is rapidly closing. Rescuers warn that the chances of finding anyone alive diminish significantly after this period. While leaders across the Americas offered support immediately after the 7.4 magnitude quake, Colombia's response differed from Venezuela's, which received numerous international rescue groups without question after its own tremors in June.

“

Without a transition and with that kind of personnel change, it was perfectly normal for these short circuits to occur.

Political scientist Sandra Borda attributed the aid management difficulties to the tense political transition between the current and previous administrations, which reportedly lacked a formal handover. The agency responsible for disaster preparedness, the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management, only saw its director, David Tamayo Roldán, appointed on Wednesday. "Without a transition and with that kind of personnel change, it was perfectly normal for these short circuits to occur," Borda, a professor at Universidad de los Andes, commented.

“

If that happens, the United Nations system and humanitarian actors are prepared to provide all the support we can.

Uncertainty prevailed on Tuesday, with multiple countries and organizations, including the UN, stating they had not received official requests for aid from Colombian authorities. Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, noted, "If that happens, the United Nations system and humanitarian actors are prepared to provide all the support we can." Mexico, which had prepared a large contingent and supplies, also confirmed it was awaiting a request. Chinese ambassador Zhu Jingyang urged Colombia to establish an official channel for coordinating international assistance.

As hours passed, coordination efforts began to materialize. Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele announced on Tuesday afternoon that his country was sending humanitarian aid, specifying that President de la Espriella's government requested "only in the form of supplies." Bukele noted that Colombia had its own rescue and medical teams deployed. However, Peru confirmed on Wednesday that it would dispatch volunteers to support search and rescue operations, indicating a gradual but ongoing international response.

“

We have been informed that their rescue teams, medical personnel, and other emergency bodies are deployed and attending to the situation, so at this time, they do not require personnel support.