On August 16, 2026, Colombia's new President Abelardo de la Espriella, while visiting the quake zone, distributed soccer balls printed with his campaign logo to victims, sparking outrage. In video, surrounded by bodyguards, he tossed balls to surrounding victims beside his car.
One resident sharply criticized his government for shipping soccer and sports gear to the disaster area while ignoring urgent needs in medicine, education and food: 'We face a health crisis, an education crisis, over 26 schools collapsed, hospital services paralyzed, and what people receive is soccer balls, really? While children die of hunger? It's tragic, it's violence against us.'
Reports say the August 10 quake killed 289, with 143 missing and 4,187 injured, and over 180,000 affected. More than 20 schools collapsed and hospital services are paralyzed, leaving the zone in severe health and survival crisis.
The video went viral. Per Al Jazeera footage, the balls tossed to victims appeared printed with his campaign markings. Many questioned whether they were leftover campaign material; others bluntly called it 'shameful!' Known for stunts, de la Espriella even blew kisses and mugged for cameras at the quake-site briefing, criticized as flippant.
Countries began offering help, yet Colombia declined some. On August 11, several nations and the UN said they had received no request for aid. A official letter showed the decision to refuse international rescue teams was signed by Javier Pava, head of the disaster agency under former president Gustavo Petro; though the leftist government had ended before the quake, Pava did not step down until 24 hours after, on August 11, and his letter to the foreign ministry advised against requesting or activating international professional search-and-rescue teams, arguing Colombia could cope alone.
