Mexico to replace statue of Christopher Columbus with that of indigenous woman – franceinfo

It is a highly symbolic decision. Mexican authorities confirmed Monday, September 6 that a statue of Italian navigator and explorer Christopher Columbus would be replaced by that of an indigenous woman. In its place will be placed a sculpture of “Olmec woman” made by Mexican artist Pedro Reyes, said Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum. “It is precisely the indigenous women who have perhaps carried the greatest weight in the history of Mexico and who have been the least recognized”, she justified.

As for the statue of Christopher Columbus, it will be “moved to a safe, dignified and adequate place”, according to a press release from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH). In October 2020, the authorities had already removed it so that the work could be “supported by staff specialized in conservation and restoration”. But instead of putting the statue back in the same place, it will be sent to another district of the capital in order to avoid “the risks for this piece of important artistic and historical value”.