Just like Superman, he swore to use his powers to vanquish wrong-doing and benefit humanity. Yet when Antanas Mockus was elected mayor of Colombia’s crime-ridden capital, Bogota, he took the comparison literally — appearing in a spandex suit and cloak with his chest emblazoned with a giant “S” for Supercitizen.
His intention, he said, was to inspire the city's residents to fight to improve their lives and environment. And, much like Ken Livingstone with his newts and Boris Johnson with his bicycling, bumbling ways, Mr Mockus has proved that eccentricity need not be a barrier to the higher echelons of politics.
The former maths professor, 58, is now running for president – and has emerged as the front-running candidate ahead of the first round of the Columbian election on May 30.
Full story: Columbia’s Antanas Mockus hopes his Super Citizen past will help make him president – Telegraph