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In rejection of the massacres, deaths in the territories and dispossession of land, community members of the indigenous peoples Misak, Nasa and Pijao knocked down the statue of the colonizer and slave owner Sebastián de Belalcázar, in Popayán.
(It may interest you: Indigenous people: Belalcázar was tried and found guilty of crimes)
The event has provoked different reactions for and against. While some defend that it is an act of dignity for these communities, others have described what happened as an act of vandalism.
One of the voices that rejected the collapse of the statue was Juan Carlos López Castrillón, mayor of Popayán, who stated that these types of acts have no justification since his administration has provided the guarantees to exercise the right to protest.
“We defend social protest, and it is legitimate, since we all have the right to protest. What we reject is violence”said hours after the fact, while announcing that the Belalcázar statue will be restored.
(Also read: Art or vandalism? ‘The attacks’ of art on monuments)
However, in the last hours more measures were taken. In a video, López Castrillón and Major General Jorge Luis Vargas, Director of Citizen Security of the National Police, They announced a 5 million pesos reward for the indigenous people who demolished the statute.
“Criminal investigation by the National Police and the investigative technical body of the Prosecutor’s Office are identifying those responsible for this damage to Popayán’s cultural heritage,” said Vargas, who also described what happened as “a crime.”
The Major General said it is “Identifying them priority”, so “a reward of up to 5 million has been offered” for information.
(Also: In photos: Misak indigenous people demolish the statue of Sebastián de Belalcázar)
Mayor of Popayán, Juan Carlos López Castrillón and Major General Jorge Luis Vargas, Director of Citizen Security of the National Police, announced a 5 million reward for Misak indigenous people who demolished the statue of Sebastián de Belalcázar. #Cauca @Uriasv @gener_usuga pic.twitter.com/JJj2pKfszO
– Rubén D. Zuñiga. (@ Ruben723) September 18, 2020
And added that a group of investigators from Bogotá traveled to Popayán “to support the criminal investigation section in the collection of elements and materials of physical evidence that can be collected around this important damage to the cultural heritage of Colombia. “
These measures, according to the mayor of Popayán, were coordinated in a meeting held by local authorities with representatives of the Interior and Defense ministries.
(We suggest: Who was Sebastián de Belalcázar, whose statue was demolished?)
ELTIEMPO.COM
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