Minister's Island Getaway Sparks Outrage Amid Earthquake Devastation The image of Colombian Housing Minister Jaime Andres Beltran relaxing on a Caribbean beach, sipping what appears to be a cocktail, starkly contrasts with the catastrophe unfolding back home.
A recent 7. 4 magnitude earthquake ravaged western Colombia, leaving nearly 300 dead and over 27,000 homes destroyed. The timing of Beltran's vacation is particularly egregious.
The earthquake struck just three days after right wing President Abelardo de la Espriella took office, raising questions about whether this new government was adequately prepared to respond to the crisis.