Updated August 17, 2026 at 9:56 p.m. Colombia time
In an address posted at 7:36 p.m., President Abelardo de la Espriella announces a reconstruction framework and an economic emergency. Twelve minutes later, Reuters reports his preliminary COP 30 trillion estimate, a figure expected to change as regional assessments proceed.
An explicitly preliminary estimate
The president puts the losses at about US$9.58 billion using Reuters’ conversion. He allocates COP 24.5 trillion of the estimate to buildings and COP 5.5 trillion to infrastructure.
The figures are neither an approved budget nor a final bill. The president says they will change as regions are assessed.
Milagro Plan and Milagro Fund
The president announces the creation of the Milagro Fund and launch of the Milagro Reconstruction Plan. The consulted sources include no decree text, funding timetable or disbursement rules.
Housing and bills among the announcements
The address mentions rent subsidies, utility-bill relief and new or improved housing. These are presented as parts of a response to be implemented, not assistance already received by families.
A call to public and private actors
The president calls on businesses, banks, insurers, governors and mayors to participate. The next points to document are the legal framework, resources actually allocated, beneficiaries and timetable.