Colombia judge orders first lady to disclose quake donations
The court's order follows a legal challenge from an opposition senator, who says the foundation failed to answer 20 questions about its donations and spending.
A Colombian judge ordered First Lady Ana Lucia Pineda to publish an itemized account of private earthquake donations within 48 hours on Thursday, Turkey's state-run news agency Anadolu Agency reported.
Pineda is the wife of President Abelardo de la Espriella, and her foundation, Colombia Luz y Sonrisas, oversees a large share of private contributions for relief after the magnitude 7.4 earthquake on Aug. 10.
The quake killed more than 330 people and destroyed more than 30,000 homes.
The ruling requires the foundation to submit a management report detailing how it allocated all funds it received, administered, channeled or distributed.
The order follows a legal action filed by opposition Senator Alejandro Ocampo, who challenged the foundation's accounts after it failed to fully answer 20 detailed questions on donor identities, administrative costs and control mechanisms.
Ocampo said after the ruling that now "we are going to find out where the money is."
In an interim report covering operations through mid-October, the foundation said it managed more than $17 million in private contributions and that 48,000 people had received emergency aid.
The report drew heavy criticism for omitting itemized spending on ruined housing, schools and hospitals.
Opposition figures have criticized the slow pace of recovery, saying nearly three months after the disaster, critical aid has yet to reach hard-hit communities in western Colombia, where damage is estimated at $9.5 billion.
Critics also allege a gap between the president's announced relief pledges of more than $200 million and the aid actually delivered on the ground.
In a recent interview, Pineda said the donated cash was intentionally held back from immediate distribution and would be reserved for a second phase of structural reconstruction.
She said the initial humanitarian aid was sufficient during the emergency phase and that her initiative aims to build permanent housing for families who lost everything.
Public frustration grew on Oct. 31, when the first lady visited a municipality in the western department of Caldas to inaugurate public works signs but did not deliver housing units or emergency supplies.
The administration faces growing political pressure to account for all emergency resources while the 48-hour deadline is in effect.
