Aftershock effect: earthquake in Colombia threatens to increase global coffee prices
The earthquake in Colombia threatens to raise global coffee prices, experts told Izvestia. The natural disaster occurred in the west of the country, where the republic's main export commodity is processed. A state of emergency has already been declared in the country due to the severe consequences. The death toll totals hundreds of people, about 3 thousand are missing. Information about the alleged three injured Russians has appeared online. The Russian Ambassador to Colombia, Nikolai Tavdumadze, told Izvestia that there had been no complaints from Russian citizens.
What happens in Colombia after the earthquake
A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia, killing more than 200 people as of August 11. According to local media, over 650 residents were injured, about 3,000 were missing, and President Abelardo de la Espriella declared a national disaster. The disaster completely paralyzed logistics, destroyed hundreds of agricultural enterprises and closed regional airports. According to the UN, 52 schools and 18 medical centers were damaged in the country, tremors were also felt in Ecuador and Panama, where hospitals had to be evacuated.
The Russian embassy in Bogota was not damaged. There is no official data on the dead or injured citizens of the Russian Federation on August 11, although Telegram channels report at least three injured Russians. Diplomats are already checking this information in order to help their compatriots if necessary, Russian Ambassador to Colombia Nikolai Tavdumadze told Izvestia.
"As of now, the embassy's hotline has not received any requests from Russian citizens in connection with the earthquake that occurred in Colombia on the morning of August 10," the diplomat noted. — Currently, the staff of the diplomatic mission are in contact with the regional authorities to verify information about our alleged compatriots among the victims. If necessary, the embassy is ready to provide them with the necessary assistance.
The exact number of Russian citizens in Colombia is not known. According to various estimates, it ranges from several hundred to 1,000 people. At the same time, over 8 thousand Russian tourists visited Colombia in 2025. Russian citizens living in the republic shared with Izvestia the details of the disaster.
— We had a powerful earthquake. We are located near the city of Calia, the city of Seville. Now we are completely without light, without electricity, the whole city," local resident Alyona Kratova told Izvestia. — After seven o'clock in the evening, they announced that no one was allowed to go outside: it was unsafe. Now many are waiting for aftershocks, as a volcano is erupting somewhere in the west. There are many destroyed houses, but there is still gas and water. We're going to move on now. But so far it is also very difficult. ATMs are not working, we cannot withdraw cash.
Strong tremors are also being reported from other regions of the country. Anastasia Aliyeva, who lives in Medellin, told Izvestia that this earthquake was the most powerful in the last 20 years.
— People were sitting near the entrances for several more hours. We went out, there were cars parked here. People helped each other. They are very friendly, warm-hearted and very pious. We felt a lot of support. Even strangers approached each other, shared water and supported each other. They were very scared. Apparently, against the background of Venezuela, it was a serious psychological trigger for everyone. People were crying," the girl says.
Economic and political consequences
The panic of Colombians has really intensified due to the recent disaster in Venezuela, which has become the deadliest there since 1900. The infrastructure of both countries turned out to be completely unprepared for such rare disasters in the region, said Egor Lidovskaya, Director General of the Hugo Chavez Latin American Cultural Center. The expert stressed that, unlike the Venezuelan $30 billion blocked by Washington, Bogota can count on financial support from Donald Trump. However, due to the aggravation of the situation with Iran, US resources are limited, and the $15.5 million they have allocated is negligible with the current destruction, which casts doubt on the effectiveness of the White House as a key partner, Lidovsky concluded.
The victory of the new president of Colombia is a consequence of American electoral technologies that prevented the continuation of the leftist course in the country, political analyst Igor Pshenichnikov told Izvestia. The expert noted that Abelardo de la Espriella, like Trump, is more a businessman than a politician. And a large-scale natural disaster occurred only on the fourth day of his leadership and will become a real challenge for the new authorities, he concluded.
A deep economic crisis with a budget deficit of 5.6% of GDP and a public debt of more than 60% deprives Bogota of its own funds to eliminate the disaster. The first tranche of the United States will only be enough for tents and medicines. The EU has activated the European space monitoring system to map destruction and search for people, announced the head of European diplomacy, Kaya Kallas. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar also offered any technological resources, and on the same day Colombia officially recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. So far, only Ecuador has sent rescuers, although Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, Mexico, El Salvador and Chile have expressed their willingness to help. Russia could have provided support, but Bogota did not turn to it.
"The embassy has not yet received any requests from the Colombian side for assistance," said Russian Ambassador Nikolai Tavdumadze.
The external inflow of funds is blocked not only due to the lack of donors, but also due to the complete shutdown of Colombian exports. Due to the deformation of the road network, all trains and automobile convoys carrying coffee, sugar and coal for export are stuck — logistics companies are physically unable to remove finished products from plantations and factories, added Anastasia Gavrilova, HSE International Relations specialist.
The tremors destroyed warehouses of finished grain, primary processing workshops and drying stations. Because of these damages, it is technically impossible to process, pack and prepare even the harvested crop for shipment. The massive disruption of international contracts will inevitably cause a sharp jump in prices for Arabica, which will result in a significant increase in the cost of coffee for end consumers around the world, the expert concluded.
The loss of export earnings is destroying Bogota's previous financial plans. Before the earthquake, Bancolombia analysts had forecast Colombia's GDP growth of 2.6% in 2026, but now this figure is unattainable. Inflation will increase in the country and domestic prices for goods will jump sharply, while non-fulfillment of external obligations will drive the economy into an even greater deficit. Without urgent and large-scale monetary support from abroad, Colombia can expect an economic collapse.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
