While rescue operations are still underway in Colombia after the violent 7.4 magnitude earthquake that hit the country, a video released on social media has sparked heated controversy and indignation. The video, also filmed by several local newspapers, shows the inside of the offices of a company in Medellín, where the manager orders the workers to return after the evacuation, preventing them from returning home for safety and threatening disciplinary sanctions.
The video and the controversies
According to what was reported by Colombian newspapers, the workers initially received orders to leave the building, but after a few minutes the owner changed his mind: “I have already told you what my position is: we have to wait. If something happens, I will be the first to tell you to leave.” In the video, the manager then issues a clear warning to the staff: “I will not give you the order to leave. Whoever wants to leave will leave, but if nothing happens today you will have to answer for abandoning your job.”
The episode highlighted a serious violation of workers’ rights and national safety regulations. Indeed, Colombian legislation imposes rigorous evacuation procedures to protect human life, while the Red Cross recommends mandatory structural inspections after earthquakes of this magnitude, due to the persistent risk of collapses linked to aftershocks. At the moment, the government has not yet released any official statements on the incident.