Colombia denies rejecting quake help

BOGOTA

Colombia’s new government has denied it rejected offers of earthquake assistance on ideological grounds, after only accepting rescue teams from right-wing-led nations.

The massive 7.4 quake has killed at least 239 people and posed an early test for the government of President Abelardo de la Espriella, who took office on Aug. 7.

After it emerged that Colombia had only officially accepted rescue teams from Ecuador, El Salvador, the United States and Israel, the government tried to scotch accusations of political bias and putting lives at risk.

“We have been working around the clock to coordinate offers of humanitarian aid,” said Foreign Minister Omar Bula.

“Many countries have offered assistance, and it is our responsibility to organize that aid,” he added.

“We have facilitated several significant donations, and aircraft are arriving in the country: 100 tons offered by the government of El Salvador. Another flight from Mexico is headed to the hardest-hit areas, 58.5 tons from the Mexican government. We have not excluded any country.”

It emerged earlier that some of Mexico’s famed rescuers called “topos,” or moles, had been prevented from working.

David Tamayo, head of Colombia’s disaster relief agency, said it was a question of qualifications.

“We will only be accepting support from these countries, which can guarantee search and rescue teams that are recognized both by the international system and by their own governments as qualified for this work,” he said.

“These teams are entirely self-sufficient,” he added. “They will not require additional resources from municipal authorities. They are arriving with their own equipment, food supplies fully provided.”

Tamayo said that Colombia’s own well-trained search and rescue teams were not yet overwhelmed.