Colombia’s Congress has begun a new legislative term, and was almost immediately treated to the shiny white buttocks of anti-corruption Senator Antanas Mockus.
The first day of the legislative term was already going to be special because it was the first day that former leaders of demobilized guerrilla group FARC took place in Congress.
For decades, the lawmaker’s paid soldiers were ready to kill the former guerrillas, and now they had to debate with them between “honorable representatives.”
But Mockus’, not the FARC, got most the attention and knew best how to offend the members of what is widely considered Colombia’s most corrupt institution.
While Congress president Efrain Cepeda (Conservative Party) was trying to be heard through the chattering of his colleagues, the Green Party chief walked onto the floor, dropped his trousers and mooned his colleagues.
The tactic worked in the 1980s when he was rector of the National University and he mooned a crowd of rowdy students to get their attention; people still talk about the incident today.
“When people do not listen and are systematically disrespectful, and this becomes a habit, it is necessary to create a behavior” and break the habit, Mockus told press.
I believe it’s important that when people talk they are heard. The people start making noise, it was absurd, the president of Congress talking and people in Congress not listening.
Antanas Mockus
While social media went ablaze, some of Mockus’ colleagues were furious and announced action.
Far-right senator and Congress President Ernesto Macias (Democratic Center) told newspaper El Tiempo that we are revising whether to discipline Mockus” instead of the chronically disorderly lawmakers.
Macias, who was the center of controversy last year after media found out he had falsified his entire CV, called Mockus drastic measure “indecent.”
One goes to Congress to debate and put forth arguments, not to demand attention with shows. I asked the congressional lawyers to review how to discipline this conduct.
Ernesto Macias
House of Representatives chairman Alejandro Chacon (Liberal Party) told the newspaper that he will discuss the incident “internally with the disciplinary unit of Congress,” but said he believed it was the job of the Inspector General to see if dropping your trousers constituted “a lack of discipline.”
Most lawmakers refused to comment on Mockus’ symbolic demand for attention for Congress’ chronic corruption, absenteeism and general dysfunctionality.
On Twitter, however, people massively vowed to shave their buttocks in case Congress ever needed another correction.
