Colombian President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella holding a US flag and a naturalization certificate after his naturalization in 2023. Photo: X/@abdelaespriella.
Caracas (OrinocoTribune.com)—On Saturday, July 11, the Venezuelan government issued an official statement expressing condemnation and “surprise” at recent declarations made by Colombia’s far-right President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella, who had made an unilateral attempt to assume broad powers over recovery and reconstruction efforts in Venezuelan territories devastated by the June 24 double earthquake.
During a public event on Friday, July 10, De la Espriella stated that “Colombia must undertake the reconstruction of Venezuela, with all that this entails.” Bypassing any formal communication or coordination with Venezuelan authorities, he announced that he had instructed his designated Defense Minister, Jorge Eduardo Mora, to assemble a team of military engineers to prepare for an eventual deployment.
#Comunicado 📢 El Gobierno de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela ha observado con extrañeza las recientes declaraciones del señor Abelardo de la Espriella, presidente electo de la República de Colombia, en las que pretende atribuirse amplias competencias en las labores de… pic.twitter.com/DlUFPuorhv
— Yvan Gil (@yvangil) July 11, 2026
Furthermore, in open disregard of Venezuelan sovereignty and the active presence of a Venezuelan embassy in Bogotá, De la Espriella ordered his appointed minister for Commerce, Industry, and Tourism, Mauricio Gómez to pitch the initiative directly to the United States chief of mission in Colombia.
“Doctor Mauricio Gómez, tomorrow in the meeting with the acting [US] ambassador we have to do what is necessary to present the proposal to the US government,” De la Espriella stated during the broadcasted event.
Venezuela reaffirms sovereignty and national capacity
In its official statement, Caracas clarified that it will not permit external interference in managing the ongoing humanitarian and structural crisis. The Venezuelan government asserted that “the leadership, planning, and execution of the process of recovery, reconstruction, and comprehensive development” of the affected regions fall entirely under its exclusive jurisdiction.
Venezuela emphasized that it possesses the state infrastructure, national industrial capacity, public and private corporate resources, and professional talent required to manage the emergency independently. While the government expressed gratitude for genuine expressions of global solidarity, it remained emphatic that any future alliances with foreign entities will be decided solely under sovereign terms.
The diplomatic row unfolds amidst a highly charged domestic atmosphere. Political analysts note that recent executive maneuvers by Acting President Delcy Rodríguez—following a hostile US military aggression to kidnap President Nicolás Maduro—have triggered intense internal debates regarding the evolving direction of the country’s anti-imperialist policies and Washington’s influence.
Regarding future bilateral ties with the incoming Colombian administration, Caracas explicitly note, “To date, no coordination with the elected government of Colombia is planned.”
Unofficial translation of Venezuela’s statement
The full unofficial translation of the Venezuelan statement is provided below:
The government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has observed with surprise the recent statements by Mr. Abelardo de la Espriella, president-elect of the Republic of Colombia, in which he assumes broad authority over the recovery and reconstruction efforts in the areas affected by the earthquakes of June 24.
In this regard, the Venezuelan government reaffirms that leadership, planning, and execution of the process of recovery, reconstruction, and comprehensive development of the areas affected by the recent double earthquake that occurred in our country falls exclusively under the jurisdiction of the Venezuelan State. Venezuela has activated all of its national capacities, including state institutions, national industry, public and private companies, as well as the technical and professional talent necessary to carry out this process.
Venezuela thanks the many expressions of solidarity and support received from governments, international organizations, and sister nations. If necessary, the Venezuelan State, in the exercise of its sovereign powers, will establish cooperation partnerships with international public and private companies that contribute to the recovery and reconstruction efforts, joining the endeavors of the Venezuelan people and their Government. For this reason, it makes clear that, as of this date, no coordination with the incoming Colombian government is planned.
Caracas, July 11, 2026
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Bogotá walks back initial remarks
Following the firm response from Caracas, De la Espriella issued a subsequent statement through his Patria Milagro political party, attempting to soften his previous rhetoric by framing the proposal as a gesture of regional goodwill and cooperation.
“The incoming government reiterates that Colombia will always maintain its willingness to extend a hand to the Venezuelan people and to support all humanitarian cooperation initiatives that contribute to protecting life, accelerating the recovery of affected communities and strengthening the stability of the region,” the party statement read.
The incoming administration claimed that it never intended to disrespect Venezuelan sovereignty or supplant Venezuelan authorities, asserting that the scale of the disaster could benefit from the technical expertise of neighboring countries within standard international legal frameworks.
Despite these diplomatic corrections ahead of his formal inauguration on August 7, regional analysts largely agree that De la Espriella’s initial remarks were intentionally designed to manufacture bilateral friction and advance US narratives framing Venezuela as a neocolonial entity.
Special for Orinoco Tribune by staff
OT/JRE/SC
