translated from Spanish: Minister of Cultures for the withdrawal of the Baquedano monument: “It is not to cry out in the face of violence”

This day the Minister of Cultures, Arts and Heritage, Consuelo Valdés, referred to the removal of the statue of General Baquedano for its restoration and the criticism that this action has received from Chile Vamos.In a conversation with EmolTV, Valdés stated that “withdrawing the monument is temporary, it is not a capititation against violence, it is not to cry out in the face of violence. It is temporary for it to be restored and replenished as soon as possible. It is a symbol, a tribute to a hero, General Baquedano who gave his life for Chile in the Pacific War. The tomb of the unknown soldier, who gave his life for the country, has been desecrated.” He was left in a situation of great instability, there was a danger that these 4 tons would fall and could hurt or even kill someone who was walking near the statue,” he added. Faced with criticism from Chile’s conglomerate Vamos, he noted that “my position depends on the president’s trust. Yesterday I was discussing with President Piñera on several occasions all the complexity of this situation. My responsibility is to respond to the confidence of the President, to respond to the obligations imposed by law on the ministry and among them is precisely to protect the cultural, material and intangible heritage of the country and that is what I feel I have been doing.” The destruction that was made, the almost complete cut of the legs, was practically to be knocked down with any rope or strong movement. There was a danger, a risk, that’s what the CMN counselors saw,” he said.

Original source in Spanish