Mexico City, July 19 (Prensa Latina) Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada announced today the decision to restore the statues of Fidel Castro, the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, and Ernesto Guevara, the Argentine leader, removed by a local mayor’s office.
“We want to recover the sculptures that are currently in a warehouse. We want to recover them, these artistic sculptures, so we are respectfully going to ask the Cuauhtémoc mayor’s office to send us the sculptures or pick them up,” he stated during an event. The decision to remove the statues from a capital park was made by the mayor of that district, Alessandra Rojo, who cited questionable arguments, such as the fact that the monument lacked the required permits, despite having been in that location for years.
Brugada alluded this Saturday to doing everything legally required so that the city and federal governments can “have these sculptures in a symbolic, central location in the city,” which “commemorate a momentous event.”
The Encuentro Monument, by artist Óscar Ponzanelli, highlights the first meeting of these “two fundamental figures of the 20th century, whose legacy is part of the living memory of the peoples of Latin America,” Brugada said.
Both “also represent the self-determination of peoples, the spirit of sovereignty, which also unites us as two nations,” the speaker said, adding that their presence in public spaces is “an act of remembrance and respect for the history of the peoples of the Americas.”
He also emphasized that the monument is a symbol of the solidarity and universalist spirit of this capital, which throughout history has been a refuge, meeting point, and space for dialogue for people from all over the world.
“To the sister people of Cuba, we reiterate our full respect from Mexico City, our solidarity, and our deepest appreciation for their history, their dignity, and their struggles,” stated the head of the capital’s government.
In this regard, he highlighted the relationship between the people of Cuba and Mexico, marked by “fraternity, hospitality, and the shared defense of the ideals of sovereignty, social justice, and self-determination.”
“Mexico City will continue to be an open, supportive, and respectful space, where the struggle of the Cuban people is recognized as part of the Latin American memory that unites us,” he emphasized.
The city government stated yesterday that the removal of the sculptures from La Tabacalera Park violates established regulations, as it was not authorized by the Committee on Monuments and Artistic Works in Public Spaces.
Organizations such as the José Martí Association of Cuban Residents in Mexico, the Popular Socialist and Communist parties, and the Mexican Movement of Solidarity with Cuba expressed their outrage at the removal of the sculptures.
Activists have called for a demonstration tomorrow to demand the return of the statues.
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