A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck the Chocó department of Colombia on August 10, 2026, with its epicenter in the municipality of San José del Palmar. ^[1] The earthquake destroyed more than 3,100 homes and affected approximately 20,000 others in the Chocó region. ^[2] The new government of Colombia has promised a 'Marshall Plan' to reconstruct the Chocó department and transform living conditions for its nearly 600,000 inhabitants. ^[3] Astrid Sánchez Montes de Oca is a lawyer specializing in criminal procedural law and administrative law. ^[4] The Chocó region has historically suffered from deep socioeconomic calamities since the birth of the Republic of Colombia in 1819, characterized by high poverty and inequality. ^[5] Astrid Sánchez Montes de Oca is the daughter of Rafael Sánchez, who served as a representative and senator in the 1970s and consolidated power in the Chocó department from the mid-1990s. ^[6] During her time at the Fiscalía, Astrid Sánchez Montes de Oca served as the director in charge of the Criminal Investigation Center (CTI) of Chocó and the head of the Judicial Police of the CTI Chocó. ^[7] From 1995 to 2004, Astrid Sánchez Montes de Oca worked for the Fiscalía, serving as a section prosecutor and delegate for Chocó. ^[8]