Abelardo de la Espriella, president of Colombia for just three days, reacted on Monday with a direct message to his fellow countrymen following the 7.4 magnitude earthquake that shook the western part of the country: he suspended all of his agenda, called for an emergency command center, and declared a national disaster.
In a video posted on his official X account, De la Espriella addressed Colombians in a personal and direct tone.
“To the Colombians who are going through difficult times today, I want to say: you are not alone. You have a President who cares about his people and who will do everything necessary to protect you, support you, and move forward, together, with the affected regions,” declared the president.
De la Espriella announced his immediate transfer to the capital to take operational control of the government response from the headquarters of the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD).
“I am heading to Bogotá to focus on addressing the emergency our country is facing. I have convened a Unified Command Post at the UNGRD, from where I will personally lead the actions to support the communities in Chocó, the Coffee Axis, and all the affected areas,” he detailed.
"I have taken direct leadership of the emergency response in San José del Palmar. I have ordered the establishment of a Unified Command Post to coordinate the assistance for those affected and the damage," he added.
The president indicated that he has requested a detailed report on the situation and the most urgent needs from the director of the UNGRD.
De la Espriella also announced his in-person transfer to Pereira, one of the cities hardest hit by the earthquake, "to support those affected and to assess the government's response."
“You are not alone. The State is present and acting,” he emphasized.
The official account of the Presidency added to the message: "The President is meeting with the UNGRD to assess the situation, reviewing reports from across the country, and coordinating any necessary actions. The National Government remains alert and active."
Colombian media showed the moment when De La Espriella arrived at the crisis room of the UNGRD to attend to the emergency.
Another video posted on the president's official account showed him at the forefront of the crisis cabinet.
Shortly after, the president declared a national disaster, a constitutional mechanism that allows him to take exceptional measures and issue legislative decrees to address the crisis, after assessing the damage in Chocó, Valle del Cauca, Risaralda, Caldas, and Quindío.
The Vice President and the Balance of the Tragedy
The vice president José Manuel Restrepo also spoke out:
"At this moment, the most important thing is to protect life, rescue those who remain trapped, attend to the injured, and provide aid to the hardest-hit communities. Together, we will overcome this emergency."
The earthquake, with an epicenter in San José del Palmar, Chocó, was recorded at 7:34 in the morning (local time) and was felt across almost all of Colombian territory, as well as in Ecuador and Panama.
At least 70 people lost their lives, with 40 deaths concentrated in the metropolitan area of Pereira.
In Cali, Mayor Alejandro Eder reported 25 collapsed structures with people trapped. Airports in seven cities suspended operations due to damage to their infrastructure.
The United States Geological Survey issued a orange alert with alarming estimates: the most likely scenario places the final toll between 100 and 1,000 fatalities, with a 20% chance that the figure will exceed a thousand.
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