Mexico says Colombia rejected its earthquake rescue team - aljazeera.com

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Colombia refused entry to a team of Mexican rescue experts sent to help search for survivors of Monday's earthquake, raising questions about how Colombia's new government is managing offers of international aid.
Sheinbaum said she was initially told the military rescue team had already travelled to Colombia, but learned at a security cabinet meeting the following day that this was not the case, and that Colombia was demanding an additional certification despite the team already being certified.
Mexico has continued providing other assistance, and Colombia's Foreign Minister Omar Bula said the country accepted 58.5 tonnes of Mexican aid, with a humanitarian flight arriving on Wednesday.
Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella, a conservative who took office just days before the earthquake, faces accusations of blocking rescue teams from countries led by left-wing governments, allegations his administration denies.
Bula insisted no country had been excluded and that Colombia works "without any ideological or political considerations," while disaster management official David Santiago Tamayo said support was being formalised from the United States, El Salvador, Ecuador and Israel.
Colombia said foreign teams must be internationally certified and recognised by the UN-backed International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG), a standard Sheinbaum disputed on Thursday by asserting the Mexican team already met the requirements.