Colombian minister under fire over sunny holiday post-quake

Colombia's newly appointed housing minister, Jaime Andres Beltran, has faced criticism for taking his family on a Caribbean holiday while his country was grappling with a catastrophic earthquake. The August 10 quake, measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale, struck just three days after right-wing President Abelardo de la Espriella assumed office.

Nearly 27,000 homes were destroyed in the disaster, forcing survivors to sleep on mattresses or makeshift beds. Photos and videos of Beltran relaxing on a beach in Santa Marta have sparked outrage among the left-wing opposition, who plan to bring a no-confidence motion against the minister for his absence during such a critical time.

Beltran's statement on Monday attempted to downplay the criticism, claiming he was merely spending quality time with his family and immediately resuming work on post-quake reconstruction. As the focus shifts to the emerging humanitarian crisis in Cali, Pereira, and other affected areas, the earthquake has proven to be a challenging test for the political newcomer.

During his recent tour of the region, Beltran announced rent subsidies for families who lost their homes and called on US President Donald Trump to suspend tariffs on Colombian goods. However, he faced backlash on Sunday for tossing footballs marked "Sign for the homeland" from his armored vehicle near the quake's epicenter.