White elephant in the room: Colombia swears in costumed anti-corruption activist as senator
Luis Carlos Rúa revealed himself to be Elefante blanco just three days before election for ‘his own safety’. Now he is tackling graft from senate floor When 102 senators were sworn in for Colombia’s latest parliamentary session, they included 32 women, 69 men – and one cartoon elephant. He had some difficulty making his way down the narrow central aisle of Congress’s ceremonial chamber, weaving…
Colombia recently swore in its newest senator, Luis Carlos Rúa, who served as the country's costumed anti-corruption activist "Elefante blanco" (White Elephant) just prior to the election. Rúa, 34, ran his entire campaign under anonymity, revealing his true identity only three days before the vote in an effort to protect his safety. His campaign tapped into growing public dissatisfaction with traditional political methods and the influence of social media.
Rúa gained significant popularity through his social media presence, exposing instances of public sector corruption through video recordings. His campaign garnered over 124,000 votes, making him one of Colombia's most voted-for senators. Despite initially performing his duties anonymously, Rúa now faces criticism for voting in favor of a proposal to relocate the presidential inauguration ceremony to a less accessible location, despite his campaign against wasting public funds.
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