Antimonumentas and Antimonumentos in Mexico City, Mexico
Considering that Mexican cities have been ranked among the ones with highest homicide rates, a large number of massacres committed by organized crime groups as well as human rights violations by authorities, the last century or so has been rough for Mexico. In this context, the country's civilian population has often taken matters into their own hands regarding self-defense and demands towards…
In Mexico City, where the homicide rate is among the highest, civilian populations have resorted to self-defense and demands for government accountability over the past century. This has led to the creation of numerous antimonuments, which are not meant to celebrate events, but to confront authorities for failures in the rule of law, corruption, and negligence.
One prominent example is the Glorieta de Colón (Columbus Roundabout). After the removal of a statue of Christopher Columbus during a protest against the high rate of femicides and gender-based violence in Mexico, a purple metal cutout of a woman with a raised fist was installed in its place. The roundabout was unofficially renamed Glorieta de las Mujeres que Luchan (Roundabout of Fighting Women).
Language activism has played a role in creating antimonumentas, which have a gendered form. For instance, "monumento" is traditionally masculine, but the suffix "-a" is often added to feminize it, as seen in "antimonumenta." This linguistic approach reflects the struggles against gender inequality in Mexico.
Antimonuments in Mexico City often follow a distinct style, featuring a plus sign followed by a number. These numbers represent the count of victims in various incidents, emphasizing the victims as human beings deserving of respect and remembrance, rather than mere casualties. Examples include +43 for the forcibly disappeared teaching students near Ayotzinapa in 2014, +72 for the migrants massacred by Los Zetas Cartel in 2010, and +65 for the workers who died in the Pasta de Conchos mining incident in 2006 due to unsafe work conditions.
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