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Decapitation of Columbus Statues in Latin America

Background

Latin America has witnessed a surge in campaigns to remove Confederate statues from the region. A statue of Christopher Columbus in the coastal city of Barranquilla in Colombia was one of the recent targets. Guised as social reform movements, the campaigns have been propagated by Indigenous activists who view Confederate statutes as symbols of “Colonialism and oppression”. Statues of Spanish conquistadors have also been toppled. Bogotá, Colombia’s capital city, saw the Misak indigenous group decapitate statues of Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada. Quesada was responsible for founding the city in the 1600s. Other incidents involve the decapitation of statues of Queen Isabella as she was responsible for sponsoring Columbus’ voyage into Latin America.

Protests in U.S. Cities

Critics argue that the surge in campaigns has stemmed from similar protests carried out in the U.S. in 2020. Protesters in Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Virginia decapitated three Columbus statues in less than a week. Richmond saw protestors bring down an eight-foot-tall statue, carrying it for 200 yards, burning the statue, and throwing the remains in a nearby lake. The U.S. protests resonated with groups in Latin America despite local authorities attempting to foil attempts.  Historically, Latin America has experienced the tearing down of statues during times of political upheavals; examples include the Somoza dictatorship in Nicaragua and the recent protests in Venezuela.

Implications

The incidents have received a mixed response with proponents taking the side of indigenous activists. Political thinkers and governments have stated their concerns about tensions worsening between Latin America and the Western world. Popayán Mayor Juan Carlos López highlighted how placing statues of indigenous icons next to existing statues was a better solution as destruction would not change the tragic past of the region.

References