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The Government of Colombia did not approve the entry of the Mexican Army rescue brigade to collaborate in efforts following Monday's 7.4-magnitude earthquake, due to certification requirements, reported the President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, this Thursday.
The president clarified during her morning press conference the information she had offered on Wednesday, when she indicated that Mexican military rescuers had traveled to Colombia along with the first shipments of humanitarian aid.
“Yesterday I commented that the rescuers, the Army's rescue brigade, had gone to Colombia, but no,” corrected the Mexican leader.
Sheinbaum explained that Colombia requested an additional certification to allow the deployment of the Mexican team, which remains prepared to travel to the South American country if authorization is received.
“They asked for certification from Colombia; they are certified, but now they are asking for another certification,” she noted.
She highlighted the group's international experience and assured that “they have gone to 98 countries to rescue and to work for people in solidarity.”
However, she pointed out that although the Colombian government did not approve the rescue brigade, “it is ready to leave at any moment.”
México mantiene ayuda humanitaria
The decision does not affect the shipment of Mexican humanitarian assistance, she added, as C-130 Hercules aircraft of the Mexican Air Force are transporting food supplies, medical supplies, and other materials requested by the Colombian authorities.
“They asked for support for food supplies, water, medication. So, (the Government) sent the food supplies, the water, the medications. And well, there is the offer. It already depends on them, well, if they need it, if they support the deployment of the brigade to Colombia,” she emphasized.
Mexico began an operation on Wednesday that includes sending 58.5 tons of aid between August 12 and August 14, after the Colombian government communicated its specific needs to the Mexican Foreign Ministry.
One of those planes returned to Mexico early Thursday morning with 36 Mexican citizens who were in vulnerable conditions following the earthquake. The Foreign Ministry reported that everyone arrived in good health.
The refusal of the military deployment adds to Colombia's decision not to require the presence of the Topos Tlatelolco Rescue Brigade, a Mexican civil organization specialized in searching through collapsed structures.
The Topos reported on Wednesday that they would not travel to the country due to the protocols established by Colombian authorities for coordinating the entry of international teams, so they would focus their support on collecting food and supplies from Mexico.
The 7.4-magnitude earthquake shook a large part of Colombia on Monday and left hundreds dead and injured, as well as causing serious material damage in different regions of the country.
[Publicidad]