Colombia's New President Faces First Crisis After Devastating Earthquake

Colombia's new President, Abelardo de la Espriella, faces his first major crisis just days into his term following a powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake that devastated several regions. The tremor, the strongest recorded in Colombia this century, has left hundreds dead, thousands injured, and caused widespread destruction.

President de la Espriella has altered his initial agenda, which focused on security, to prioritize the emergency response. He has visited hard-hit areas including Chocó, Valle del Cauca, Risaralda, and Caldas, aiming to demonstrate the new government's presence during the crisis. The government is now concentrating all efforts on assisting the affected zones.

Adding to the complexity, conflicting figures have emerged regarding the earthquake's death toll. While President de la Espriella reported 181 fatalities, regional authorities in Valle del Cauca and Risaralda alone counted at least 240 dead. These discrepancies arose after the national disaster unit announced that the presidency would centralize all official information regarding the emergency.

The earthquake's timing, coinciding with a government transition marked by communication challenges between the outgoing and incoming administrations, has further complicated the response. Officials from both the Gustavo Petro and de la Espriella governments are involved in the relief efforts. The earthquake's epicenter was near San José del Palmar in Chocó, striking on Monday at 7:34 AM.

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The feeling is as if my heart will jump out of my chest.