The president of Colombia, Abelardo de la Espriella, expressed this Tuesday his gratitude for the words of "solidarity" and "closeness" sent by the Spanish Royal House after the earthquake of magnitude 7.4 registered on Monday in the country, and he also expressed his concern for the situation of the Spanish citizens who are still missing.
"I deeply thank the Royal House for their words of solidarity and closeness with Colombia in these hours of pain," the president stated in a message on social media in which he assured that he shares the "concern for each of the people who are still missing, including the Spanish citizens who have not been able to be located."
In his publication, the Colombian leader, who emphasized that Spain and Colombia "are united by deep historical and human ties that today are even more present," referred to the previous message disseminated on social media by the Spanish Royal House, in which the Royal Family conveyed their "deep solidarity" and "support" to the Colombian people.
"We accompany from the heart those who have lost a loved one and all the people affected by the earthquake. Our thoughts are also with the missing persons, among them 164 Spaniards who have still not been able to be located, with the hope that all of them can be found as soon as possible," added the publication of the Royal House.
For his part, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain, José Manuel Albares, pointed out this same Tuesday that his department has registered a total of 164 Spanish nationals whose whereabouts are unknown in Colombia after the earthquake. At the same time, he specified that, for now, there is no news of injured or deceased Spanish citizens.