Catherine Juvinao Roasted For Vaping In Colombian Congress During Health Reform Debate

On December 17, 2024 the discussion of Colombia’s health reform bill in the Chamber of Representatives (lower house of the Congress) was overshadowed by derision when Representative Catherine Juvinao was caught vaping just before her turn to speak in the session. The incident sparked outrage on social media and among lawmakers.

Colombian congresswoman and journalist Kathy Juvinao was caught vaping during the Health Reform debate. pic.twitter.com/JCWh3Lls2b

— Historic Vids (@historyinmemes) December 21, 2024

Images of Juvinao vaping in the ‘Capitolio’, quickly went viral (some of the best memes were curated by Infobae in an article), since vaping in enclosed spaces is prohibited by Colombian regulations. The backlash was fueled by the irony of her actions taking place during deliberations on health reform, which aims to promote preventive care and address public health challenges, including tobacco-related diseases.

Reactions from colleagues in the Congress emerged immediately. Representatives such as Alejandro Ocampo, Cielo Rusinque, and Gustavo Bolivar criticized Juvinao. “She disrespects basic rules of coexistence and public health by vaping in a enclosed space. We are discussing a reform to strengthen health systems and prevent diseases, yet here we see behaviors that are anything but coherent.”, said Representative Alfredo Mondragón in a video on Instagram.

 

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A post shared by Alfredo Mondragón Garzón (@alfredolidersocial)

She later apologized with a message on Twitter/X, but the controversy deepened when, the next day, during a session that continued the debate, Juvinao was expelled from the chamber after allegedly insulting the President of the Chamber of Representatives, Jaime Salamanca, calling him “marica” (an offensive term in Spanish). Salamanca immediately sanctioned Juvinao, suspending her right to speak during that session.

Juvinao denied the accusation, claiming her removal was politically motivated: “They silenced me because I am one of the most critical voices against this reform,” she tweeted following her expulsion.

President Gustavo Petro joined the debate on December 22, with a tweet: “Many scientific associations recommend banning these devices. They introduce water into the lungs and can be fatal. In a preventive health system, educating students on healthy practices is fundamental for well-being.”

Muchas asociaciones científicas piden prohibir estos artefactos para fumar. Introducen agua en los pulmones y pueden provocar la muerte.

En un sistema de.salud preventiva. La educación de práticas saludables en el colegio, es un instrumento fundamental para el bien vivir. https://t.co/NaZetmSjuU

— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) December 22, 2024

While the health reform bill remains a central issue for Petro’s administration, this incident drew attention away from substantive discussions.

Headline photo: Representative Catherine Juvinao. (Photo: Twitter/ https://x.com/CathyJuvinao)