Colombia earthquake response tests new far-right government

Bogota, Colombia – A deadly magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia barely 72 hours after far-right leader Abelardo de La Espriella was sworn in as the president.

The disaster killed more than 260 people, injured thousands and devastated cities and towns in the first major test of leadership for de la Espriella as his government scrambles to search for survivors and provide aid to the most affected communities.

The 48-year-old leader declared the disaster an “economic emergency” and announced three days of national mourning before touring the worst-affected areas.

Colombia has considerable experience responding to natural disasters. Firefighters were the first to reach the affected areas, followed by Civil Defence officials and other emergency services.

Meanwhile, humanitarian aid collected in the capital Bogota and other cities was flown to disaster areas, as temporary shelters were put up for people displaced by the tragedy.

Less than 24 hours after the earthquake, heavy machinery, cranes and excavators were operating in Cali, Pereira and other affected cities.

In smaller, more isolated towns, however, residents were still removing rubble by hand, with many communities without power or basic services.

On Tuesday, the government announced temporary relief for families in Risaralda, one of the hardest-hit areas, including subsidies on rent and a three-month suspension of utility payments for the affected residents.

But the response has been in part complicated by a failed transition from the outgoing leftist administration of Gustavo Petro.

The lack of a proper handover has left the National Disaster Risk Management Unit in a state of limbo, with an acting director from the previous government working with a new team.

There are several challenges before the government, forcing officials from two different governments to work together despite their differences and the deep polarisation following one of the closest elections in history.

The government said its disaster agency would not be the official source of updates. Rather, the executive and, in particular, the office of the president would be solely responsible for providing information, including the official death toll.

Hence, the updates have been slow, leaving people, including journalists, to piece together information from local authorities.

Some affected communities near the quake’s epicentre in Choco, one of Colombia’s poorest districts, live among dense rainforests. They lack proper roads and have long suffered due to state neglect and armed conflicts.

Communications in those areas remain difficult, making it hard to determine the full scale of the damage. Vital infrastructure has also been hit. Aviation authorities closed six airports due to the earthquake, while dozens of roads were affected by landslides.

In Cali, several floors of a prominent hospital collapsed, forcing about 600 patients to be moved into temporary tents. Many other medical facilities have also been damaged.

For a president who entered office promising “decisive leadership and an iron fist against crime”, the earthquake is an immediate and unexpected test. How he handles it and whether a deeply divided political class in Colombia can work together during the emergency will help define a presidency that has barely begun.