A Masked Superhero Is Riding Around This Colombian City and Feeding the Hungry · Global Voices
Gabriela García Calderón Orbe

Super Pan on his Vespa. Screenshot taken from YouTube.
A real superhero who fights hunger and poverty is patrolling the streets of the Colombian city Bucaramanga, about 300 kilometers north of Bogotá. He goes by the name of Pancracio Levadura (Pancracio Yeast), a play on the word pan in Spanish meaning bread. But many know him simply as Super Pan.
On Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, this unique do-gooder hands out 50 pieces of bread and 50 juices to homeless people, according to Señal Radio Colombia.
The man behind the mask refuses to makes his real name public, but he does have an active Facebook page. There, he writes:
Buenos días Panceros!
[…]
Pido disculpas si no respondo enseguida los mensajes, ya que han llegado mas de 300 mensajes! lose {sic], es una lluvia de bendiciones! y estoy muy emocionado porque se que las ayudas seguirán creciendo como Levadura
Hablen con Dios, hagan su voluntad y todo, Todo! Cambiará para bien Les mando muchas bendiciones y un gran abrazo con Vendaje!
[…]
Gracias por su bonitas Panlabras…los Amo!
Good morning, bread lovers!
[…]
I apologize for not answering messages right away, I've received more than 300 messages! I know, blessings are pouring in! And I'm very excited because I know all the contributions will keep on growing like yeast.
Talk to God, respect God's will and everything, Everything! will change for good. I send you all my blessings and a huge hug!
[…]
Thanks for all your beautiful words… I Love you!
His endeavor has attracted a fair amount of media attention. The Sunday magazine El Frente reported:
La acción filantrópica de este súper héroe enmascarado lo ha convertido en un verdadero referente de los bumangueses quienes no pierden la oportunidad de acercarse a él y ofrecer su apoyo, o darle las gracias, que al final es el objetivo primordial de ‘Pancracio Levadura’ más conocido como ‘Súper Pan’.
[…]
Aunque ‘Superpan’ tiene capa no vuela, por lo que utiliza su motocicleta para transportarse por todos los lugares donde Dios lo lleve para entregarle un pan y un café a los más necesitados de la capital santandereana.
This masked superhero's philanthropic actions have made him a real example for the people of Bucaramanga, who pass up the opportunity to approach him and offer him support, or thank him, which in the end is the goal of Pancracio Levadura, better known as Super Pan.
[…]
Although Super Pan has a cape, he doesn't fly, so he uses his motorcycle as transportation to go everywhere God may take him to give bread and some coffee to the most needy residents of Santander's capital city.
You can see Super Pan in action in this video report from news site Vanguardia via YouTube:
On Twitter, people expressed their admiration for the effort under the hashtag #SuperPan:
http://t.co/butRbGx0XD Hay superheroe de verdad #SuperPan Gran ejemplo podriamos seguir todos Pequeñas acciones para hacer grandes cambios
— Juan Fe Mejia G. (@juanfelipmejia) junio 24, 2014
There are real superheroes, #SuperPan. What an example we should all follow. Little deeds to achieve big changes.
Te felicito, haces una labor que sólo la hacen los superhéroes, tienes un corazón muy grande. #SuperPan.
— Estefanía Cárdenas (@FiExtreme) junio 24, 2014
Congratulations, you do a job only done by superheroes, you have a very big heart. #SuperPan
Ojala hubiera muchas personas haciendo buenas obras como #SuperPan
— Paul Echeverry (@PaulEcheverry) junio 24, 2014
I wish there were many people doing good deeds like #SuperPan.
#SuperPan @soypancero este es el tipo de personas que necesita Colombia. Toda mi admiración y respeto.
— Jose Antonio Avella (@jose_1a) junio 24, 2014
These are the kinds of people Colombia needs. You have all my admiration and respect.
Situación sentimental: Queriendo ser el brazo de reina de #SuperPan
— Lucía (@cardozolucia30) junio 24, 2014
Status: Wishing to become #SuperPan‘s Swiss roll.
Will Super Pan inspire others to don a cape and mask? @MegaJexux wondered:
#SuperPan cual seria su archienemigo? cual creen uds?
— XuX.™ (@MegaJexux) junio 23, 2014
#SuperPan, who would his archenemy be? Who do you think?