Statue of Diego de Vargas

Statue formerly installed in Santa Fe, New Mexico, U.S.

35°41′13″N 105°56′09″W / 35.686939°N 105.935789°W / 35.686939; -105.935789 until 2020

A statue of Diego de Vargas made by Donna Quasthoff was installed in 2007 at the west end of Santa Fe, New Mexico's Cathedral Park, in the United States. The statue was removed in June 2020.^[1]

Description

Based on a portrait painting residing in Spain,^{[citation needed]} the full-length statue depicts de Vargas wearing fur-lined clothing, holding a spear in his right hand and his cap in the left. A saber is in a scabbard around his hips, and his coat of arms is shown at his feet.

Controversy over storage

While the statue's fate is being debated, the statue was at the center of a controversy on where it has been stored and if it is being protected. In early February the statue was found in the backyard of a private residence home (which was not disclosed for privacy and safety concerns). ^[2] The mayor and city manager had been told that the statue was in a city facility. This has led to concerns that the statue was at risk of damage or vandalism.

Fate

The statue's fate is currently being determined. Supporters of removal see the statue as a celebration of Spanish colonization, while supporters of the statue say it is a celebration of Spain and Hispanic heritage. Former Santa Fe mayoral candidate Ronald Trujillo has expressed interest in the statue being donated back to the Caballeros de Vargas which would then display it on their own property. This request has been supported by multiple members of the city council. Councilman Chris Rivera stated, "I would be in favor of that, especially if we can't take care of it".^[3]

References

^ Chacón, Daniel J. (2020-06-23). "De Vargas statue removed; overnight attempt to move Plaza obelisk fails". Santa Fe New Mexican. Archived from the original on 2020-07-14. Retrieved 2020-06-23.
^ Thomas, Sean P. (15 February 2021). "Don Diego de Vargas statue found in backyard of home/business". Santa Fe New Mexican. Archived from the original on 16 February 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
^ Thomas, Sean P. (15 February 2021). "Don Diego de Vargas statue found in backyard of home/business". Santa Fe New Mexican. Archived from the original on 16 February 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2021.

Monuments and memorials removed during the George Floyd protests

United States

Alabama	Birmingham – Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Monument; Charles Linn Huntsville – Confederate Soldier Memorial ✻ Mobile – Raphael Semmes
Arkansas	Bentonville – Confederate Monument ✻ Little Rock – Company A, Capitol Guards Pine Bluff – Confederate Monument
California	Carmel-by-the-Sea – Junípero Serra Chula Vista – Christopher Columbus Los Angeles – Junípero Serra Sacramento – Columbus' Last Appeal to Queen Isabella ✻; Junípero Serra; John Sutter San Francisco – Christopher Columbus; Ulysses S. Grant; Francis Scott Key; Junípero Serra Ventura – Junípero Serra ✻
Connecticut	Bridgeport – Christopher Columbus Hartford – Christopher Columbus ✻ Middletown – Christopher Columbus New Haven – Christopher Columbus ✻ New London – Christopher Columbus ✻ Norwalk – Christopher Columbus
Delaware	Dover – Delaware Law Enforcement Memorial Wilmington – Christopher Columbus; Caesar Rodney
District of Columbia	Washington – Albert Pike
Florida	Jacksonville – Confederate Memorial; Florida's Tribute to the Women of the Confederacy ✻ Palatka – Putnam County Confederate Memorial ✻ Quincy – Gadsden Confederate Memorial
Georgia	Athens – Confederate Monument Decatur – DeKalb County Confederate Monument
Indiana	Indianapolis – Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Monument
Kentucky	Frankfort – Jefferson Davis Louisville – John B. Castleman; Louis XVI
Louisiana	New Orleans – John McDonogh
Massachusetts	Boston – Christopher Columbus; Emancipation Memorial
Michigan	Dearborn – Orville L. Hubbard Detroit – Christopher Columbus
Minnesota	Minneapolis – Calvin Griffith Saint Paul – Christopher Columbus
Missouri	St. Louis – Christopher Columbus
Nevada	Las Vegas – Hey Reb!
New Jersey	Camden – Christopher Columbus Newark – Christopher Columbus West Orange – Christopher Columbus ✻
New Mexico	Albuquerque – Juan de Oñate Alcalde – Juan de Oñate Santa Fe – Diego de Vargas
New York	Albany – Philip Schuyler ✻ Buffalo – Christopher Columbus Hempstead – Thomas Jefferson New York City – Theodore Roosevelt Rochester – Frederick Douglass
North Carolina	Asheville – Vance Monument ✻ Charlotte – Jerry Richardson Raleigh – North Carolina Women of the Confederacy; Josephus Daniels; Henry Lawson Wyatt Rocky Mount – Nash County Confederate Monument ✻ Salisbury – Gloria Victis ✻ Wilmington – Confederate Memorial; George Davis
Ohio	Columbus – Christopher Columbus (City Hall); Christopher Columbus (Columbus State Community College)
Oregon	Eugene – The Pioneer; The Pioneer Mother Portland – Captain William Clark Monument; Thompson Elk Fountain; Thomas Jefferson; Abraham Lincoln; Theodore Roosevelt; Harvey W. Scott; George Washington
Pennsylvania	Philadelphia – Christopher Columbus ✻; Frank Rizzo; George Whitefield
Rhode Island	Providence – Christopher Columbus
South Carolina	Columbia – Christopher Columbus Charleston – John C. Calhoun
Tennessee	Nashville – Edward W. Carmack; Sam Davis ✻
Texas	Beaumont – Our Confederate Soldiers Dallas – Confederate War Memorial; One Riot, One Ranger Denton – Confederate Soldier Monument ✻ Fort Worth – Confederate Monument Houston – Christopher Columbus; Richard W. Dowling ✻; Spirit of the Confederacy
Virginia	Alexandria – Appomattox Fredericksburg – Slave Auction Block Norfolk – Confederate Monument Portsmouth – Confederate Monument Roanoke – Robert E. Lee Richmond – Christopher Columbus; Jefferson Davis; Howitzer Monument ✻; Stonewall Jackson; Robert E. Lee; Matthew Fontaine Maury; Richmond Police Memorial; J. E. B. Stuart; Williams Carter Wickham
Wisconsin	Madison – Forward; Hans Christian Heg

Other countries

Belgium	Antwerp – Leopold II Ghent – Leopold II
New Zealand	Hamilton – John Fane Charles Hamilton
United Kingdom	Bristol – Edward Colston Cambridge – Sir Ronald Fisher window Greater Manchester – Dunham Massey Hall sundial London – John Cass; Robert Clayton ✻; Thomas Guy ✻; Robert Milligan