Colombian election tilting to a maverick

BOGOTA, COLOMBIA

He got married on an elephant. He dispatched mimes into the streets to shame drivers into respecting pedestrians. He took a televised shower to demonstrate how citizens could conserve water.

There is no telling what Antanas Mockus might do should he become Colombia's next president -- a once far-fetched prospect that is becoming ever more likely as "Mockusmania" sweeps the country. Heading into Sunday's presidential election, the Green Party candidate is now polling neck-and-neck with former Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos, considered the heir to the legacy of the famously popular president, Álvaro Uribe.

Behind Mockus' rapid rise in the polls is a campaign strategy that capitalizes on Colombia's unusual political juncture. He has turned his atypical characteristics into an advantage -- and he's done so by employing many of the same messages and tactics that Barack Obama used.

"Mockus represents much of what Obama did to American voters: someone who was going to change politics as usual," said Michael Shifter, president of the Inter-American Dialogue in Washington.

He is running on a platform of anticorruption and transparency, pledging meticulous oversight of public funds and a cultural transformation to reduce illegal practices. The two-time mayor of Bogota is remembered for dressing up as "Super Citizen" to teach residents to be more civil, asking Bogotanos to voluntarily pay more taxes, investing heavily in public transportation and cutting homicide rates almost by half.

But while Obama replaced a deeply unpopular president, the Colombian candidates are vying to succeed a president who enjoys 70 percent approval ratings. Uribe is credited with bringing security to many parts of the country and beating back rebel groups.

"The people who rejected this series of things found where they could group together -- in Mockus," said Hector Riveros, Mockus' campaign strategist and a former vice minister of the interior.

Mockus' campaign identified a wide swath of the electorate who are moderate Uribistas and want to see his successful policies continued. But this group -- about 25 percent of voters, Riveros estimates -- also wants fresh leadership and an end to politics rife with scandals and corruption.

Mockus has appealed to voters not by being anti-Uribe, but by being what he calls "post-Uribe." He promises to continue Uribe's successful policies and maintain a firm hand with guerrilla groups, while ushering in a new form of governance and citizenry. His focus on education and social investment appeals to voters who increasingly care about more than security concerns.

"The political formula of Santos is continuity. With Mockus, it's change," said Alvaro Forero, a newspaper columnist and director of the Leadership and Democracy Foundation.

Like Obama, Mockus comes from outside the traditional political machinery, though he is no political novice. The son of Lithuanian immigrants and a former mathematician and philosopher with a chin curtain beard, Mockus stands in stark contrast to his main rival, who comes from a powerful political and newspaper family.

Mockus' campaign highlights him as a teacher who will exercise intellect and moral rigor in his leadership and who brings political experience without the dirt -- a claim backed by his clean mayoral terms.

His image appeals to Colombians disillusioned by corrupt and opportunist politicians. "Youth want a role model they can follow, and we see that in Mockus -- he's a professor, not a presidential type," said Angela Ortega, 19, a university psychology student at a recent rally geared at youth in Bogota.

The messages Mockus calls out to the crowd strongly echo those heard during Obama's campaign: Change. Hope. Inclusion and unity.

"Mockus represents what Obama represents, but Colombianized," said Forero.

Just as Obama told Americans they were responsible for being the agents of change, "Mockus says citizens have to change and they have to participate," Forero said.

Emmanuel Morales recently traveled to his native coastal town to deliver T-shirts, posters and bracelets and spread Mockus' message on his community's radio station. "I have never participated in a presidential campaign before," said Morales, 42.

Around him, fans hold the symbols of Mockus' campaign: sunflowers (for peace) and pencils (for education). They wave bright green placards -- one popular portrait is painted in the same style of the ubiquitous Obama portrait, but different shades of green cover Mockus' face.

But Mockus is not relying on winning the election with cool posters and sunflowers.

Following Obama's footsteps, Mockus has championed the use of the Internet and social media, which are shaping the campaign and may prove pivotal in election results.