Political Dispute Erupts in Mexico Over Removal of 'Cuban Leftist Hero' Statues

Right-Wing District Mayor Removes Guevara and Castro Statues
Ruling Party Supporters: "Illegal Act Driven by Ideological Bias"

In Mexico, a political dispute has erupted between the ruling and opposition parties over the removal of a 'Cuban leftist hero' statue by a right-wing district mayor.

On July 27, Yonhap News reported, citing the social media account X (formerly Twitter) of the Cuauhtemoc district mayor in Mexico City and a press release from the Mexico City Public Monuments Committee (COMAEP), that the Cuauhtemoc authorities recently dismantled statues of Che Guevara (1928?1967) and Fidel Castro (1926?2016) from Tabacalera Park, wrapped them in protective plastic, and moved them to an undisclosed facility.

Statues of Che Guevara (right) and Fidel Castro installed in Mexico City. Mexico City Public Monuments Committee (COMAEP), Yonhap News Agency

This action was reportedly carried out under the direction of district mayor Alessandra Rojo de la Vega (39), who is affiliated with the right-wing opposition. On X, Mayor Vega criticized the two leaders of the Cuban Revolution as "dictators" and asserted that the removal of the statues was justified.

Che Guevara, originally from Argentina, and Fidel Castro, who led Cuba for several decades, planned the Cuban communist revolution and guerrilla warfare while working as photographers in Mexico City in 1955. In 2017, the year after Fidel Castro's death, the Cuauhtemoc district, responding to residents' requests, installed a 1.4-meter-wide, 1.3-meter-tall bronze sculpture (weighing 250 kg) in the park, depicting the two men sitting on a bench and conversing. Since then, the statue has been vandalized with paint, and there have been ongoing controversies over procedural issues with its approval. However, in 2020, the Mexico City Public Monuments Committee (COMAEP) granted approval for its reinstallation.

However, Mayor Vega, who took office in October last year, determined that the statue had been inappropriately installed. In an interview with local media, she stated, "Cuban residents are suffering from food shortages and a lack of electricity, and during nearly half a century under Fidel Castro's rule, they were forced into silence." She added, "While I understand that some view Castro and Guevara as revolutionaries, from another perspective, they symbolize great suffering."

In response, supporters of the left-wing ruling party argued that "Mayor Vega's order for removal was illegal and ideologically biased," and called for an investigation by the audit authorities. Victor Hugo Romo, a Mexico City councilor who filed a complaint, stated on X, "We must protect public cultural heritage and freedom of thought," and insisted, "The abuse of power by a public official who arbitrarily removed a work commemorating the meeting of these two figures (Guevara and Castro) must be thoroughly investigated."

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum also criticized the removal during a regular press conference, saying, "It appears the statue was not removed legally," and called it "a hypocritical act by the mayor, who in the past vacationed in Cuba." The Mexico City authorities also stated, "No official request for removal was made," and added, "We are reviewing the matter internally."

Some have pointed out that the statue's removal was a personal act of 'retaliation' by Mayor Vega. She was elected mayor last year after defeating Catalina Monreal (39), the current head of the National Institute for Social and Economic Research. Since then, she has faced ongoing disputes, including a recount prompted by Monreal's camp alleging electoral irregularities. Catalina Monreal is the daughter of Ricardo Monreal (64), a former Cuauhtemoc district mayor (now a federal congressman), who previously led the installation of the Guevara and Castro statues.