Christopher Columbus Statue in Mexico City To Be Replaced Amid Controversy

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - SEPTEMBER 07: General view of the pedestal where the statue of Christopher Columbus Statue was placed at Paseo de la Reforma avenue on September 07, 2021 in Mexico City, Mexico. Finished in 1875 by french sculptor Charles Cordier, The Statue of Colon (Estatua de Colon) as it is known in Mexico, was finally set up at Paseo de la Reforma on August, 1877 and remained there for 143 years until October 2020 when it was moved to be restored. On September 06, Claudia Sheinbaum, Head of Government of Mexico City, announced that the statue was not going to be returned to its former place, instead, it will be replaced by the sculpture of an indigenous woman as a way to recognize the cultural legacy in the country and the continent. The decision has awake different opinions among citizens and people in politics and culture, for some this represents a lack of respect for the city's culture and history while removing the older monument in Paseo de la Reforma, while for others, this is a statement against the conquerors who arrived to the new world atrociously. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images)