In brief
A statue of Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro was reinstalled in Lima, Peru, marking significant cultural tensions as the nation commemorates its history.
The statue of Francisco Pizarro, the Spanish conquistador who founded Lima in 1535, has been reinstated in the heart of the Peruvian capital more than 20 years after its removal. The unveiling took place during a ceremony celebrating the 490th anniversary of Lima's founding. Pizarro's legacy remains deeply contentious; while some view him as a foundational figure in Peru’s history, others, particularly Indigenous leaders, label him a mass murderer who decimated their culture. Supporters of the statue's return argue that Peru's history should be acknowledged rather than erased. Originally created by American sculptor Charles Rumsey, the statue depicts Pizarro on horseback with his sword raised and was first unveiled in 1935 to mark the city’s fourth centenary. However, in 2003, due to growing calls for its removal, it was relocated to a park outside the city center, where environmental factors led to its deterioration, causing cracks.At the recent ceremony in Lima's Plaza de Armas, Mayor Rafael López Aliaga and Madrid Community President Isabel Díaz Ayuso presented the restored statue alongside Bogdanovich and Pizarro's descendants. Díaz Ayuso emphasized that the ceremony embodied both the city's birth and a transformative historical encounter.The event faced backlash, with demonstrations taking place nearby. Protesters expressed their outrage, calling the reinstatement "an offence" to Indigenous peoples in Peru and beyond, highlighting the ongoing struggle over historical narratives in the region.
