On August 10 local time, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Colombia. The government announced that the country had entered a national state of emergency. According to Spain’s (Razon) report, on the day of the earthquake, a video—circulating online—showed a management staff member from a U.S. company threatening employees at its local branch, which angered netizens.
Local media confirmed that a video shows a company manager telling employees, “I will not give you orders to evacuate. Anyone who wants to leave can leave. But if nothing happens today, you will be held responsible for leaving your post.” The remarks quickly sparked online criticism from netizens, who accused the company of treating its employees harshly. On online platforms, netizens left the company with a large number of negative reviews.
Information provided by netizens indicates that this incident involves a branch of Blackstone Medical Services in Colombia’s Antioquia province. The company office is on the 11th floor of a building. Jack Munoz, who speaks in the video, claims on social networks that he is the company’s Deputy Vice President of Human Resources.
The matter also drew attention from figures in Colombia’s political circles. Antonio Sangiño, the former labor minister of Colombia, called on the Ministry of Labor to intervene immediately. On the social platform X, he posted, “Such behavior must not go unpunished,” urging the government to provide assistance to employees.
In response, Vick Tippingnis, founder and CEO of Blackstone Medical Services, said that the earthquake occurred at around 7:30 a.m. local time. The company’s normal working hours are from 9:00 a.m., when about 90% of employees were not in the office. Employees who were present were subsequently evacuated as well. After the office building was inspected, staff returned to their workstations.
(Rational Daily) said that Blackstone Medical Services in the United States was established in 2012 and is headquartered in Tampa, Florida. The company mainly provides screening services related to obstructive sleep apnea.
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