“Just Hours After Deadly 7.4 Earthquake Kills Over 100 in Colombia, New Government Drops Bombshell: Official Recognition of Israel’s Sovereignty Over the Golan Heights”

Bogotá — As rescue teams scrambled through the rubble of collapsed buildings and families searched for missing loved ones, Colombia’s newly installed government issued a major foreign policy announcement that immediately drew sharp criticism for its timing.On Monday morning, August 10, 2026, a powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia at 7:34 a.m. local time.

The quake, centered near San José del Palmar in the sparsely populated Chocó department at a depth of roughly 100–110 kilometers, was felt across much of the country and in neighboring nations. Officials reported at least 111 people killed and more than 460 injured. Significant damage and fatalities were concentrated in the coffee-growing region, including Pereira, where dozens died and part of the Matecaña International Airport partially collapsed, as well as in Manizales, Cali, and other cities.

The government declared a national emergency as airports closed, buildings toppled, and emergency crews worked to free people trapped under debris.Less than three hours after the initial reports of the disaster began circulating widely, the Colombian Foreign Ministry released a statement recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

The announcement, posted on the ministry’s official channels in the early afternoon, declared that “given the persistent regional instability in the Middle East and considering the strategic importance of the Golan Heights to Israel’s security, the Government of Colombia recognizes Israeli sovereignty over this territory, as well as the right of that state to protect itself against external threats.”The statement framed the decision as essential to Israel’s national defense and noted that it fulfilled a commitment reached between the two countries on August 8. Colombia becomes only the second nation after the United States to formally recognize Israeli sovereignty over the territory, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War and effectively annexed in 1981—a move long rejected by most of the international community.

The announcement came under the administration of President Abelardo de la Espriella, who took office just days earlier. The new government’s rapid move on the Golan issue marks a clear shift in Colombia’s foreign policy orientation.Former Bogotá mayor and current senator Claudia López Hernández was among the first prominent voices to condemn the timing. Quoting the Foreign Ministry’s post, she wrote: “Three hours after the earthquake occurred, in the middle of such a national tragedy and this is the priority of the Foreign Ministry of the new government??? What infinite disconnection! First Colombia! Our people, attention to the victims. A minimum of logical sense and humanity!”Her criticism quickly gained traction on social media, capturing a broader sense of frustration among some Colombians who felt the government should have focused exclusively on the domestic emergency. While rescue operations continued and the death toll was still being updated, the dual news of national tragedy and a high-profile diplomatic decision created a striking contrast that dominated political discussion throughout the day.

The earthquake remains the immediate priority for emergency services, with officials emphasizing the need to locate survivors and assess structural damage across multiple regions. At the same time, the Golan Heights recognition signals the new administration’s intent to realign Colombia’s international posture early in its term—regardless of the domestic crisis unfolding at home.