Daughter of missing Mexicans holds onto hope after Colombia earthquake: 'I hope it's them'

Mariela Zapata has not lost hope of finding her parents alive after a powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Colombia on August 10, leaving hundreds missing. Mario Zapata and his wife, Brenda Flores, a Mexican couple visiting the Eje Cafetero region, were staying at the Hotel Dibeni in Pereira when the devastating tremor hit.

Zapata last spoke to her father before the earthquake to confirm their return flights. Since then, all communication has ceased. "I told him I would check the tickets and went to my cell phone to check social media. The first thing that came out was the news of the earthquake. I tried to communicate with him and her immediately, but since that moment I haven't heard anything from them," Mariela Zapata told 'RCN Noticias'.

She has activated all available search protocols through the government, including registering them with Colombia Te Busca and the Red Cross. The Mexican Embassy in Colombia has also been contacted, but the couple has not been found in morgues, hospitals, or shelters. Zapata is scheduled to travel to Colombia on August 16 to aid in the search efforts.

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I told him I would check the tickets and went to my cell phone to check social media. The first thing that came out was the news of the earthquake. I tried to communicate with him and her immediately, but since that moment I haven't heard anything from them.

Despite the lack of concrete information, Zapata holds onto hope, especially after rescue teams detected signs of life beneath the rubble. "I hope it's them," she commented, eagerly awaiting good news. According to 'ABC Noticias', the couple, originally from Durango, arrived in Bogotá on August 6 and then traveled to the Eje Cafetero to explore the country.

The Mexican Embassy in Colombia confirmed that Mario Zapata, 57, and Brenda Flores, 42, are among the missing. "The Embassy of Mexico in Colombia reports that it received information about two Mexican citizens who were in the municipality of Pereira and have not been located," a statement read. The embassy is maintaining communication with the family to provide support. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also collaborating with the Colombian Red Cross, and the case has been urgently referred to the Unified Command Post.

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I hope it's them.