De la Espriella replaces director of earthquake reconstruction fund as scandals mount

Colombia's President Abelardo de la Espriella has removed the director of the Miracle Fund, responsible for earthquake reconstruction efforts in the country. The move comes after the opposition exposed excessive salaries and minimal progress. The director, Jaime Andres Uribe, received a monthly wage of COP39.4 million ($11.9 thousand), sparking outrage.

Uribe's labor costs accounted for just COP765.5 million ($231.2 thousand) out of the fund's total of COP8.9 billion ($2.7 million) for 130 employees. President de la Espriella criticized the salaries, stating they contradict his austerity policies. He immediately accepted Uribe's resignation and appointed former Housing Minister Luis Felipe Henao to lead the reconstruction efforts.

Henao is controversial due to his connection with a late drug trafficker, José "El Ñeñe" Hernandez. The government's response to the earthquake has been widely criticized for its ineffective reconstruction efforts in western Colombia, where over 100,000 homes were destroyed.