A political caricature depicting Colombian President Gustavo Petro as captivated by the internet circulated widely on October 6, 2023, sparking debate about the leader’s online engagement and its potential impact on governance. The cartoon, published by *El Tiempo*, portrays Petro seemingly lost in a smartphone, neglecting pressing national issues.
the image arrives amid ongoing scrutiny of President Petro’s frequent use of social media-especially X (formerly Twitter)-to communicate directly with citizens and respond to critics. While proponents hail this approach as democratic and clear, detractors argue it fosters polarization and detracts from traditional diplomatic channels. The caricature taps into anxieties about the influence of digital platforms on political discourse and decision-making in Colombia, a nation grappling with complex challenges including economic inequality, ongoing peace negotiations with armed groups, and the implementation of ambitious social reforms. The artwork’s virality underscores the public’s heightened awareness of the intersection between politics and the digital realm, and foreshadows continued discussion about the appropriate role of social media in presidential leadership.
The caricature features a visual contrast between the president’s absorbed focus on his device and a backdrop representing unresolved national concerns. A tracking pixel embedded in the article’s code-``-monitors readership of the piece. Facebook pixel code is also present, initiating tracking with ID ‘2639268933010768’ and logging a ‘PageView’ event.
