Colombian senator targets 7.4 magnitude quake with $45,000 home damage claim

Luis Carlos Rúa appeared at the 2026 TIME 100 Next gala in Manhattan on Oct. 29 wearing a full white elephant suit. The newly elected Colombian senator used the costume to draw attention to stalled reconstruction efforts following a major seismic event earlier this year.

Rúa has operated under the alias Elefante blanco, or White Elephant, on Instagram and TikTok for five years. He used the persona to expose unfinished and wasteful infrastructure projects before revealing his identity three days before the June presidential runoff election.

The senator identified the current rebuilding effort as the most significant infrastructure failure in Colombian history. He cited data from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs regarding the 7.4 magnitude earthquake that struck in August.

That disaster killed more than 200 people and injured 4,000 others. The agency reported that the tremors damaged more than 45,000 homes, destroyed 9,000 structures, and caused 140 buildings to collapse.

Rúa stated that the reconstruction process has not yet begun. He addressed President Abelardo de la Espriella directly, noting that the leader is a conservative who received backing from U.S. President Donald Trump before winning the June runoff.

The senator urged the public to use social media to pressure the government. He suggested that individuals create videos calling for immediate action, arguing that this method allows people from any country to support Colombian families who have lost homes, jobs, and relatives.

The gala was presented by Rolex, Toyota, American Airlines, Danantara, Project Management Institute, and Target.