Senate President proposes salary donation for earthquake victims

On August 10, 2026, Senate President Honório Henríquez made a public appeal to all members of Congress to contribute a salary donation, aiming to raise funds for the thousands of families affected by an earthquake that shook several regions of Colombia.

Call for salary donation

Henríquez used his X account to announce the proposal, stating: "As President of the Senate, I invite all congress members to join the initiative of donating a salary to support the thousands of families devastated by the earthquake." The invitation was presented as a voluntary action, without yet detailing the mechanism for channeling the funds.

Earthquake context and disaster declaration

The quake caused extensive damage, mobilizing relief agencies, local authorities and government entities that continue to assess the magnitude of the destruction and aftershocks. In response, the Government declared a national disaster situation, a measure that facilitates the mobilization of resources for the emergency.

Formation of the bicameral commission

In addition to the donation, Henríquez announced that, on the following Wednesday, a bicameral commission – with participation from the Senate and the House of Representatives – will be established to monitor and support response actions. He emphasized the importance of unity by declaring: "Colombia needs us united!".

Government position and response coordination

President of the Republic Abelardo De La Espriella kept the institutional capacity activated to face the crisis, setting up from the first hours a Unified Command Post (UCP) responsible for coordinating assistance, mapping damage, and providing support to the affected communities. While search, rescue, and structural assessment work continues, Congress seeks to integrate its role into the governmental effort, both through financial resources and political oversight of the measures adopted.

With information from Semana.