Colombian Senator Wears White Elephant Suit to Protest Slow Earthquake Recovery

Colombian senator Luis Carlos Rúa appeared in a full-body white elephant costume at the 2026 TIME 100 Next Gala in Manhattan on Oct. 29. The outfit was not a fashion choice. It was a visual argument for his political mission to expose government waste and inaction.

Rúa has spent the last five years documenting infrastructure failures in Colombia. He posted videos anonymously under the handle Elefante blanco, a reference to unfinished public projects that drain resources without delivering results. His identity as a public figure remained hidden until three days before the recent Senate election. He won a seat after voters learned who was running.

The senator says the current crisis is the largest in Colombian history. A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck the country in August. The disaster killed more than 200 people and injured 4,000 others. United Nations data shows the quake damaged over 45,000 homes, destroyed 9,000, and collapsed 140 buildings. Rúa argues that the rebuilding process has barely started two months later.

On the red carpet, Rúa addressed President Abelardo de la Espriella directly. The current president is a conservative who received support from U.S. President Donald Trump during his June runoff victory. Rúa stated that citizens are without homes, jobs, and family members. He told the president that reconstruction is his specific responsibility.

"I say to the Colombian President, begin the reconstruction of a country," Rúa said. "Because two months ago a big earthquake destroyed some cities..we need the reconstruction to begin from here." He emphasized that the world needs to pay attention to the stalled recovery efforts.

Rúa advised supporters in other countries to use social media to pressure the Colombian government. He suggested people create videos calling on the president to start rebuilding. "Go to the internet and you can explore the situation my country is facing in this moment," he said. "Make a video saying to the President: 'We need the reconstruction to begin.'"

The gala was presented by several sponsors, including Rolex, Toyota, American Airlines, Danantara, Project Management Institute, and Target. Rúa used the event's platform to shift focus from celebrity culture to a specific humanitarian and infrastructure demand in his home nation.