Colombian pop star Shakira arrived in the earthquake-stricken province of Chocó on Tuesday, pledging to rebuild at least ten schools and announcing $1 million in initial donations secured for the effort.
Accompanied by U.S. philanthropist Howard Buffett, Shakira toured damaged school buildings across the impoverished Pacific coastal region, the epicenter of the August 10 magnitude-7.4 quake that killed 294 people and left 194 missing. The disaster destroyed an estimated 27,000 homes and damaged more than 2,800 schools nationwide. Economic damage is expected to exceed eight billion euros, according to the president.
The government's response has drawn scrutiny. Housing Minister Jaime Andres Beltran faced backlash after being photographed at a beach in Santa Marta, prompting the opposition to announce a no-confidence motion. Beltran said on social media he was not on vacation and had returned to work immediately. The president has asked U.S. President Donald Trump to suspend tariffs on Colombian goods to aid economic recovery.