Colombia seeks massive budget increase for earthquake reconstruction

The Colombian government is mobilizing significant financial resources to address the aftermath of the earthquake that struck on August 10, affecting multiple departments including Chocó, Valle del Cauca, Risaralda, Quindío, and Caldas.

As part of the response, approximately 720 billion pesos will be redirected from the SENA (National Training Service) budget to support infrastructure recovery, training continuity, and aid for affected students and instructors. While the union Sindesena expressed support for the redirection, it noted the entity's existing budget deficit.

Simultaneously, the Minister of Housing, City and Territory, Jaime Andrés Beltrán, has requested an additional 4 trillion pesos from the Ministry of Finance. Beltrán warned that the current 700 billion pesos allocated in the 2027 national budget is insufficient to manage the damage, which has impacted 16 departments. The government's reconstruction strategy consists of three phases: urgent humanitarian assistance coordinated by the UNGRD, a nine-month community stabilization period, and a two-year physical reconstruction phase.