Mexico Accuses Colombia of Blocking Earthquake Rescue Team

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Thursday (August 13) that Colombia is refusing to allow a Mexican military rescue team into the country to search for survivors of Monday's devastating earthquake. The statement came amid questions about how Colombia's new government is handling international aid offers.

Sheinbaum said she was initially told the military rescue team had departed for Colombia, but later learned at a cabinet security meeting that this was not the case. "Colombia requested certification. They were certified, but now they are asking for another certification," Sheinbaum told reporters. Mexico continues to send other aid shipments, including food and medical supplies.

Colombian Foreign Minister Omar Bula said on Wednesday that the country had accepted 58.5 tons of aid from Mexico and that a flight carrying humanitarian supplies landed that day.

Colombia rejects political claims in decision on foreign rescue teams

Sheinbaum's comments come as President Abelardo de la Espriella, a conservative politician who took office just days before the earthquake, faces accusations of blocking rescue teams from countries with leftist leaders. His administration denies these claims.

"We are not excluding any country among the offers they have made," Bula said. "We work with countries without any ideological or political considerations."

David Santiago Tamayo, director of Colombia's National Unit for Disaster Risk Management, said on Wednesday that the government is formalizing support from rescue teams in the United States, El Salvador, Ecuador, and Israel. He said foreign teams must be "internationally certified and recognized by the host government," and that Colombia only accepts teams recognized by the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG), a UN-backed network that sets international standards for urban search and rescue teams.

However, Sheinbaum pushed back on Colombia's explanation on Thursday, saying the Mexican team was certified and was asked for an additional certification. She added that the military rescue brigade has previously deployed to 98 countries and remains "ready to depart at any time."

Hope for more survivors fades

The dispute comes as the critical 72-hour window for finding survivors has passed, with hope of finding more people under the rubble from Monday's magnitude 7.4 earthquake fading.

At least 273 people have been killed and more than 3,800 injured, according to government figures released on Thursday. Another 377 people remain officially listed as missing.

Beyond Mexico, many countries have offered assistance. A team from the Los Angeles County Fire Department arrived on Thursday to support search operations and structural assessments, while another U.S. urban search and rescue team from Fairfax County, Virginia, was also deployed at the request of the Colombian government. Peru and Brazil have also offered support, while De la Espriella announced on X that Colombia will receive a $10 million donation from the United Arab Emirates.

On Wednesday, Colombia's president announced plans to declare an economic emergency and establish a reconstruction fund to coordinate domestic and international support to rebuild hospitals, schools, housing, and infrastructure.