Unfinished infrastructure, wasted public funds: Colombia's 'white elephants' uncovered

[ad_1] In Colombia, an Instagram account known as "White Elephant" exposes unfinished infrastructure (also known as “white elephants”), the waste of public funds and irregularities surrounding sure toll cubicles. The account visits the websites, then posts movies and recordsdata complaints to stress officers and corporations. The Observers group spoke to the person behind this account adopted by greater than 300,000 individuals.

An individual wearing a white elephant costume, dancing in entrance of an unfinished or dilapidated bridge: that is the type of video you may see on a social media account known as "White Elephant" created by a Colombian nationwide. Its aim is to reveal poor-quality, poorly designed or unfinished infrastructure, and the ensuing waste of public funds. The account additionally denounces the excessive variety of toll cubicles in Colombia and irregularities surrounding a few of them. Within the movies, explanations are delivered by a fast-paced, distorted voiceover.

“That is the Sunshine Skyway, a seven-kilometre bridge [...] in the USA, which was accomplished in 5 years. And that is Juanchito [in Cali, Colombia]: in 9 years, they have not been in a position to full a bridge 70 occasions smaller.” On this video posted on January 27, 2024, the “White Elephant” account exposes the delay within the development of this bridge, for which the contract was signed again in 2014. It has since been accomplished. Supply: Instagram / @elefantescol To show this content material from Instagram, you should allow commercial monitoring and viewers measurement.

Settle for Handle my selections Created in 2021, the “White Elephant” account – “Elefante blanco” in Spanish – garnered greater than 300,000 followers on Instagram, and tens of hundreds on Fb, X and YouTube. About 200 posts have been revealed on the Instagram account.

The time period "white elephants" historically describes main infrastructure constructed at nice expense with excessive upkeep prices, or left unfinished, whose final profit proves to be restricted or nil.

On the finish of 2024, Colombia’s Comptroller Common – an impartial authorities establishment – introduced the identification of 1,468 “white elephant and important initiatives” within the nation.

‘If I’m going to do that, I want to remain nameless’ The FRANCE 24 Observers group spoke with the creator of the account:

“Even earlier than this venture, I used to be already exposing points, which acquired me into private hassle. I've acquired threats and been harassed. So I assumed, ‘If I’m going to do that, I want to remain nameless.’ That’s how "White Elephant" got here to be.

It’s a consultant determine of Colombia as a result of now we have many unfinished infrastructure initiatives right here. I’ve at all times been very outraged to see that in my nation, it was unclear how public cash was being spent. So I made a decision to do one thing about it."

On this video known as “Town of ghost faculties”, the account exposes unfinished college initiatives in Ibagué, Colombia, on June 28, 2023. Supply: Instagram / @elefantescol To show this content material from Instagram, you should allow commercial monitoring and viewers measurement.

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Since 2021, the account has uncovered varied forms of infrastructure, together with bridges, roads, parks, faculties, aerodromes and cable vehicles. “For instance, bridges with defects that would endanger lives are a precedence as a result of the venture goals to guard human life,” the creator informed our group.

On this put up, the account showcases the situation of a bridge situated on the exit of Cartago, Colombia, as of late 2023, and its subsequent restore in early 2024. Supply: Instagram / @elefantescol To show this content material from Instagram, you should allow commercial monitoring and viewers measurement.

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‘This venture is in regards to the collective good’ He says he generally receives as much as 1,000 messages per week from residents flagging points.

“It’s inconceivable to learn every part attributable to an absence of time. Right here’s how I set priorities: first, I assess the impression and the quantity of people that may benefit, since this venture is in regards to the collective good. Then, if I'm already engaged on 30 completely different denunciations, a brand new thirty first case must wait earlier than I can look into it. Lastly, I have a look at the kind of infrastructure. As an illustration, if the venture has already uncovered quite a few points associated to roads, I attempt to change the theme.”

When a case catches his consideration, the creator visits the location to movie a video. He claims to have already uncovered greater than 70 circumstances on social media and achieved leads to 33 of them. He additionally explains that he does not rely solely on social media posts:

“My first movies primarily concerned dancing in entrance of unfinished infrastructure to carry visibility. However media stress, whereas generally sufficient to impact change, isn’t legally binding, in contrast to the justice system. That’s why I now at all times purpose to prioritise authorized motion [Editor’s note: with the help of lawyers, to avoid revealing his name]. If a college needs to be accomplished, it have to be accomplished.

A primary instance of successful story is the 'La Felisa' stretch of the highway between Pereira and Medellin. This part was in poor situation for greater than ten years. We succeeded in getting it accomplished. In sensible phrases, the journey time between Pereira and Medellin has dropped from as much as 12 hours to roughly 4 hours. One other instance is the viaduct on the 58-kilometre mark between Bogotá and Villavicencio: its development was two years delayed. After a yr of sustained stress, the viaduct was lastly accomplished.

For my part, 'white elephants' aren't mere errors: they're a monetary technique employed by sure entrepreneurs and other people in energy, as a result of the longer issues drag on, the extra money is spent.”

"I really feel nice pleasure in telling you that at present, the viaduct on the 58-kilometre mark [between Bogotá and Villavicencio, in Colombia] has lastly entered into service," wrote the “White Elephant” account on February 12, 2025. Supply: Instagram / @elefantescol To show this content material from Instagram, you should allow commercial monitoring and viewers measurement.

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The individual behind the account says the venture prices round 20 million pesos monthly, or €4,500 – in a rustic the place the minimal wage is roughly €320.

“I've to pay for the automobile, petrol and tolls after I’m going someplace. Furthermore, I incessantly rent individuals to assist me: attorneys, graphic designers, drivers, individuals who can movie with a drone or edit movies…

Financing this venture is an actual problem. I exploit a portion of my very own earnings. Since 2023, I've additionally been soliciting donations and have already offered greater than 700 ‘white elephant’ plush toys – these concepts truly got here from my followers. I recurrently publish stories to elucidate how the cash raised has been used.”

In a video shared on August 19, 2025, the account solicits donations. Supply: Instagram / @elefantescol To show this content material from Instagram, you should allow commercial monitoring and viewers measurement.

Settle for Handle my selections Threats acquired The person behind the “White Elephant” account claimed to have acquired threats and intimidation relating to his work. He expressed concern for his security, regardless of at all times working anonymously.

On September 10, he revealed a video displaying a message he acquired from an individual claiming to be “very shut” to the previous mayor of a city. The message learn: “Little elephant … You’d higher depart the nation for a couple of days; there are individuals appearing with out saying something [without warning]”. He believes this message might be linked to a few of his denunciations associated to this particular city: one involving a former jail and two others about toll cubicles.

He claims to have sought help from the Nationwide Safety Unit (UNP), a physique that may present safety to threatened people within the nation – to date in useless.