Statue of Martí removed in Chile due to possible vandalism

The absence of the statue of José Martí at Yungay Square, Chile, has raised concern here on Wednesday, due to the possibility of attempted vandalism, although authorities confirmed that it was protected. 

The incident apparently occurred last night amid a general blackout that affected 14 of all 16 regions of the country, including the capital.

Councilwoman Dafne Concha told Prensa Latina that the statue of the Cuban independence hero is in the possession of the Gardens Unit of the Santiago municipality, which removed it because it was loose.

Concha added that she had requested a more detailed report from that department on what happened to the monument.

The José Martí Chile-Cuba Institute of Culture filed a complaint with the National Monuments Council, the president of the organization, Vivian Murúa, told Prensa Latina.

Murúa said that she was surprised that the statue was loose, because the event on Cuban National Hero José Martí was held there recently.

“The issue is that it is not the first time that some one wants to vandalize it. Some time ago, people tried to tear it down and National Monuments made a new installation and shored it up. So, the fact that it is loose again draws our attention,” she said.

Sculpted in bronze, the figure of Martí in Portales Park is the work of renowned Cuban sculptor José Ramón Villa Soberón.