Why Is Cfk Trying To Move The Christopher Columbus Statue?

[Napoleon]

Today I noticed this story on my Saturday edition of La Nacion. Then I saw it on the cover of today's LA Razon. And since both papers are "anti-K", I was interested in finding out the non-partisan and the K reason(s) for moving the statue.

As someone who gives tours, I often point out various monuments in the city and mention who donated them to the city and country. The English Tower to time(?), the Spanish Monument to liberty, the German monument to agriculture in Plaza Alemania, and the Italian donated monunment to Christopher Columbus that sits in full view of the taxis as you are curving around behind the Casa Rosada between Av. Alem & Av. Colón. Like the other monuments that were donated by the English, Spanish, and German communities in Buenos Aires (often with help from businesses and their foreign government) to commemorate Argentina's Centennial. Columbus on a Stick has been behind the Casa Rosada since 1921. And now the national government wants to move it to Mar del Plata (I believe).

My question is ¿WHY?

I can understand the argument for the people who don't want the statue moved, but I don't even know the argument for moving it in the first place, so I can't begin to understand the reasoning when I don't know the official reasons.

And would this then lead to changing the name of Av. Colón? Or is that safe for now?

If anyone can answer my questions, I'd appreciate it. Thanks.

La Nacion story about the protest: http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1588180-vecinos-protestaron-contra-el-traslado-del-monumento-a-cristobal-colon

 

[PhilipDT]

The official reason is that the statue is in need of repair, but as the opposition has pointed out, if that were the case, why move it.

My guess is its the same reason she renamed the Salon Colon in the casa rosada.

 

[glasgowjohn]

The only reason to move it is to make Macri mad........

 

[ajoknoblauch]

The only reason to move it is to make Macri mad........

It's not just Macri. She's also upset people who detest Macri, such http://bastadedemoler.org.

 

[cbonanni]

Not to mention the entire Italian community here. Of which there is a lot. I heard she want to move it to La Plata , and replace it with a statue of some freedom fighter guy from Bolivia or somewhere. I am lacking in details , but thats the gist of it.

Oh , and did someone say something about pissing off Macri ? and others ? ( this Italian included.)

 

[Joe]

It's because the BAexpat's forum established that Italian political culture is the seminal source of Argentine corruption (http://baexpats.org/...ion)

Columbus is a reminder of all the Caja Fuertes en the basements of Argentine leaders from time immemorial.

Below is the largest Caja Fuerte in South America currently being constructed for Cristina:

 

[ajoknoblauch]

Not to mention the entire Italian community here. Of which there is a lot. I heard she want to move it to La Plata , and replace it with a statue of some freedom fighter guy from Bolivia or somewhere. I am lacking in details , but thats the gist of it.

Oh , and did someone say something about pissing off Macri ? and others ? ( this Italian included.)

I'm guessing that Plaza Colón becomes the Plaza Bolivariana, centered on an oversized statue of Maduro with bird in the hand.

 

[French jurist]

It's to provoke indignant reactions from CFK oppositors, and it's working really well, hats down. (teasing mode)

There are many sculptures here which lack proportionality regarding their immediate environment, but it was not really the case for that one.

It could be a right decision for wrong motives.

After all, Columbus was not the first foreign one to discover America (Vikings = proven, Egyptians = likely/quite proven, Phenicians = maybe, Romans = likely, Chinese = maybe). Also, I doubt many of us can cite sculptures of "native" people (like Juana Azurduy = new sculpture that will replace the Columbus one) in Bs As, I think there are none. It's obviously tainted with political motives indeed but this happens in any country.

One critic though, if I was the Art advisor of CFK, I would have recommended a sculpture of Zheng He (that would have rocked! = symbol of the end of the "Manifest Destiny", etc.). The Chinese are slowly & smartly setting foot in South America (like in Africa) and they have a lot of cash. A new page of History is being written.

 

[dennisr]

Rearranging and moving stuff around is in a women's DNA. They cannot help themselves.

 

[camberiu]

After all, Columbus was not the first foreign one to discover America (Vikings = proven, Egyptians = likely/quite proven, Phenicians = maybe, Romans = likely, Chinese = maybe).

Other than the Vikings and the Chinese (Gavin Mendez is not taken seriously), I never heard of any those people arriving in the Americas before Columbus. Egyptians and Romans sailed mostly inside the Mediterranean and their ships were very unlikely to be able to make a transatlantic trip.