MIAMI, United States. – On the heights of Avenida de los Presidentes, popularly known as Calle G, in Havana’s Vedado, is the monumental complex in memory of José Miguel Gómez, Major General of the Liberation Army and President of the Republic of Cuba between 1909 and 1913.
The monument, inaugurated on May 18, 1936, was made by the Italian sculptor Giovanni Nicolini. The work exhibits a bronze statue of the figure of José Miguel Gómez at a size of 3.50 meters, on a base of pink granite from the quarries of Ravenna, in northwestern Italy.
On the sides of the mausoleum there are six figures representing the provinces into which the Island was divided in that period, escorted by the Cuban flag. At the base are two marble statues that represent strength and magnanimity. The exterior of the monument is crowned at its corners by two sculptural groups: one of them represents History and Time, with Liberty in the middle; in the other they appear the Law and the Law, with the Peace in the center.
The lavish sculptural work has been questioned and attacked at different times.
Although it is lavish, at various times different groups of Cubans have requested that the monument dedicated to José Miguel Gómez, accused of racist for ordering the bloody repression of the Colored Independents in 1912, be removed.
10 years ago, the rap group Obsesión gave rise to a debate about the relevance (or not) of the statue of the former Cuban president. In their song “Nueva Calle G”, the group says: “I don’t understand what that guy is doing there, after a Revolution that took place here”. “I call for Cuban graffiti. If they don’t knock her down, let’s go, we’ll graffiti her! Lay him down.”
However, Cuban intellectuals such as the architect Mario Coyula have prevented the monumental work from being dismantled thanks to their defense of history as an architectural, social and political testimony.
He has also said that while José Miguel Gómez was corrupt as president and ordered the repression of the Colored Independents in 1912, he was also a prominent combatant in Cuba’s wars for independence in the 19th century.
At that time, the eminent architect assured: “History cannot be changed, much less demolished; but yes to interpret… That’s what essays and books are for, debates and polemics”.
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