A 16th-century Spanish conquistador statue in New Mexico has caused controversy, leading to its reinstallation being halted. The bronze figure of Juan de Onate was taken down three years ago during anti-racism demonstrations. The county of Rio Arriba, where the statue was set to be placed on a concrete pedestal in the city of Espanola, postponed the reinstatement ceremony due to protests and concerns for public safety.
The removal of numerous monuments to European colonizers and Confederate generals occurred in 2020 during protests advocating for racial justice. The decision to reinstall the Onate statue has caused outrage among Native Americans and others who view him as a war criminal for ordering the massacre of Indigenous people.
Celina Montoya Garcia, a coordinator for the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women and a member of the nearby Native American Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo community, stated that they intend to continue opposing the statue’s placement. They believe it represents murder and slavery.
A majority of people in Rio Arriba County, approximately 71%, are Hispanic. The county’s Commission Chairman Alex Naranjo and other local officials support the statue’s reinstatement to celebrate Hispanic heritage. Espanola Mayor John Ramon Vigil, who also backs the display of the statue, highlighted that Onate played a significant role in bringing many families to the valley.
The statue of Onate, originally erected in 1994 in Alcalde near Espanola, has provoked controversy for years due to Onate’s brutal 1598 colonization of New Mexico. Critics connect this history to present-day issues such as gender inequality and institutional racism.
In 1997, a protester sawed off one of the statue’s feet to symbolize the amputation of one foot from each of the two dozen Acoma Pueblo Native men. Onate ordered this punishment after a battle where hundreds were killed and survivors were enslaved.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
