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Colombia housing minister faces backlash over Caribbean trip after quake
The Aug. 10 earthquake killed nearly 300 people, destroyed nearly 27,000 homes, and struck days after President Abelardo de la Espriella took office.
Colombia’s new housing minister has come under public and political fire after photos emerged showing him taking a Caribbean holiday while the country was dealing with a major earthquake in western Colombia, according to SCMP Economy.
The Aug. 10 quake killed nearly 300 people and damaged around 27,000 homes, with many survivors left sleeping outside on mattresses or makeshift beds. It was a 7.4 magnitude tremor, the most powerful in the country in nearly half a century, and it occurred three days after President Abelardo de la Espriella took office.
Over the weekend, videos and images circulated of Housing Minister Jaime Andres Beltran relaxing on a beach in Santa Marta, and left-wing opposition said it will move for a no-confidence vote against him over his leave during the crisis, SCMP Economy reported.