Earthquake in Colombia Tests New President in His First Week
Listen to the story
A powerful earthquake has struck Colombia during the first week of President Espriella's term in office.
Rescue teams are continuing to remove rubble from collapsed buildings, but officials say there is little hope of finding more survivors.
The disaster has become an early test for the new president, revealing more about his political ideology just days after he took office.
In response to the earthquake, Espriella has asked US President Trump to suspend tariffs on Colombian goods.
Tariffs are taxes that one country charges on products coming from another country.
Espriella argues that removing these extra costs would help Colombia recover more quickly from the disaster.
His request shows how he is trying to use his relationship with Washington to support his country during a crisis.
Analysts say the earthquake has forced Espriella to show his approach to leadership much sooner than expected.
Normally, new leaders have time to settle into their role before facing a major emergency.
Instead, Espriella must balance the practical work of disaster response with decisions that reveal his political values.
Meanwhile, rescue operations in Colombia continue, with workers searching through debris in affected areas.
The scale of the damage and the exact number of victims have not been fully confirmed yet.
The situation remains difficult, and the government is under pressure to respond effectively while the country mourns its losses.
Vocabulary10 words
- earthquake
- a sudden strong shaking of the ground
- rescue
- the act of saving people from danger
- rubble
- broken pieces from destroyed buildings
- survivors
- people who remain alive after a disaster
- disaster
- a very harmful event affecting many people
- ideology
- a person's set of political beliefs
- suspend
- to stop something temporarily
- tariffs
- extra taxes on goods from another country
- crisis
- a very difficult or dangerous situation
- debris
- the broken remains of something destroyed
Quiz
Answer key
1. During his first week in office 2. Suspend tariffs on Colombia 3. False
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
A powerful _____ has struck Colombia during the first week of President Espriella's term in office.
_____ teams are continuing to remove rubble from collapsed buildings.
Officials say there is little hope of finding more _____.
The disaster has become an early test for the new president, revealing more about his political _____.
In response to the earthquake, Espriella has asked US President Trump to _____ tariffs on Colombian goods.
Tariffs are taxes that one country charges on _____ coming from another country.
Espriella argues that removing these extra costs would help Colombia _____ more quickly from the disaster.
Analysts say the earthquake has forced Espriella to show his approach to leadership much sooner than _____.
Instead, Espriella must balance the practical work of disaster response with decisions that reveal his political _____.
The situation remains difficult, and the government is under _____ to respond effectively.
Discussion questions
- Why might a natural disaster reveal a leader's political ideology?
- Do you think asking for a suspension of tariffs is an effective way to respond to a disaster? Why or why not?
- What challenges might a new president face when dealing with an unexpected crisis so early in their term?
- How do you think countries should support each other after a disaster like this one?