On September 25 2021 something extraordinary happened at the Christopher Columbus roundabout. A group of anonymous feminists installed a wooden sculpture. They called it Justicia. This wasn’t just any sculpture. It was an antimonumenta a powerful symbol of protest. It stood in the Glorieta de las mujeres que luchan. This roundabout had once honored Christopher Columbus. His statue was removed in 2020. The space remained empty. Then Justicia arrived.
The Glorieta de las mujeres que luchan wasn’t just a location. It became a space for remembrance and resistance. The sculpture a purple woman with a raised fist represented the women who fight for justice in Mexico. It was a defiant act. It challenged the existing power structures. It gave voice to the countless women who had experienced violence and injustice.
Justicia wasn’t meant to be permanent. The feminists who created it hoped the city would choose its own sculpture. They insisted however that the roundabout be renamed Glorieta de las mujeres que luchan. Their demands were ultimately met in part. The name stuck. Justicia remained too. It was later replaced with a larger steel version.
The story of the Glorieta de las mujeres que luchan is one of persistence. It’s a story of feminist activism. It’s a reminder of the ongoing struggle for gender equality in Mexico. The names of murdered and disappeared women were painted on the protective fences around the sculpture. The city repeatedly painted over the names. The feminists repeatedly repainted them.
A clothesline was installed. It displayed complaints against institutions that had ignored or minimized acts of violence against women. The police broke the clothesline multiple times. The feminists replaced it. This is the power of the Glorieta de las mujeres que luchan. It represents a space where voices are raised. Where the struggle for justice continues. Where the memory of those lost is kept alive. The Glorieta de las mujeres que luchan stands as a testament to the strength and resilience of Mexican women. It is a powerful symbol of hope and resistance. A symbol that continues to inspire. It symbolizes the unwavering fight for a more just and equitable future for all women.