The president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, announced on Tuesday the dispatch of two cargo planes carrying 100 tons of humanitarian aid to Colombia, in response to the devastating earthquake of magnitude 7.4 that struck the northwest of the country two days earlier and has left at least 188 dead and more than 1,600 injured according to the latest official report.
In a post on X, the leader of the Central American country explained the details of the operation and specified that his Colombian counterpart had only requested supplies, not rescue personnel.
"The Government of Colombia has requested humanitarian aid solely in the form of supplies to assist families affected by the earthquake. We have been informed that their rescue teams, medical personnel, and other emergency services are currently deployed and addressing the situation, so at this moment, they do not require additional personnel support."
The first plane departed on Tuesday night bound for Cali, while the second was scheduled to take off on Wednesday.
The shipment was prepared according to the needs communicated by the authorities of the country affected by the earthquake and includes food, supplies, hygiene kits, medications, and medical supplies.
The operation was coordinated between the foreign ministries of both countries.
The earthquake occurred on Monday at 7:34 AM with its epicenter in San José del Palmar, in the department of Chocó, at a depth of between 96 and 110 kilometers according to various seismic agencies.
The earthquake was felt in Bogotá, Cali, Manizales, Pereira, and Armenia, as well as in Ecuador and Panama.
The Colombian Geological Service reported more than 60 aftershocks following the main earthquake, while the United States Geological Service issued an orange alert estimating between 100 and 1,000 possible deaths.
The material damages are significant: 61 collapsed buildings, 37 destroyed houses, and over 1,500 damaged homes.
Subsequent reports after the official balance raised the death toll to at least 240, although this figure does not match the latest government count.
The Colombian government's decision to reject international rescue personnel sparked controversy: the UN reported that it had not received a formal request for assistance, and Colombian media reported that authorities later accepted international rescuers after public pressure.
This gesture by Bukele follows an established pattern in his foreign policy. In June 2026, after the earthquakes that affected Venezuela, El Salvador sent six planes with 300 rescuers and 150 tons of equipment and supplies in a large-scale operation.
"We will remain attentive to the evolution of the emergency and, if our Colombian brothers need any other type of support, we will be ready to provide it," Bukele concluded in his message, in which he also expressed his prayers for the victims and their families.
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