Luis Carlos Rúa Takes Senate Seat in Elephant Costume After Winning 124,000 Votes
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Aug 4
Luis Carlos Rúa Takes Senate Seat in Elephant Costume After Winning 124,000 Votes
2 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Aug 4
Summary
Luis Carlos Rúa, 34, was sworn in as a Colombian senator in his white elephant costume after turning anti-corruption videos into about 124,000 votes nationwide.
Five years of social-media investigations into abandoned or overpriced public works made Elefante blanco a national figure, and Rúa said he ran for office because freelance work, toy sales and crowdfunding could no longer fund that oversight.
Three days before the election, Rúa revealed he was behind the character, saying anonymity protected him after death threats forced him to leave Pereira in 2019 following a leaked vote-buying recording.
His arrival in Congress has already drawn scrutiny: Rúa backed, 58-30, a plan to move Friday's presidential inauguration to Cali, a decision critics say clashes with his anti-waste message.
Gabriel Cifuentes said Rúa's election reflects both social media's growing power in Colombian politics and wider public fatigue with traditional parties.