Mexico City to Replace Christopher Columbus Statue with one honoring Indigenous Women

September 6, 2021

The gist: Announcing on the International Day of the Indigenous Woman, Mexico City Mayor, Claudia Sheinbaum, announced that the Columbus statue on the Paseo de la Reforma, often a focal point for Indigenous rights protests, would be replaced by a statue honoring Indigenous women. This year marks “the 700th anniversary of the founding of Tenochtitlan — what is now Mexico City — as well as the 500th anniversary of its fall to the Spanish conquistadores, and the 200th anniversary of Mexico's final independence from Spain.” The statue will be of an Olmec woman—the Olmec are considered the oldest area of civilization.

"It's very important to dedicate a monument to indigenous women and to the Earth, because if anyone can teach us how to take care of this planet, it's our native peoples, and that is precisely what we must learn again."

—Sculptor Pedro Reyes

Read the article here.