Statues of Che Guevara and Fidel Castro spark political confrontation in Mexico City.

The statues of Ernesto 'Che' Guevara and Fidel Castro, installed on a bench in the Tabacalera Garden in the Cuauhtémoc borough of Mexico City, became the center of a political dispute between Mayor Alessandra Rojo de la Vega and the Secretary of Women of the capital's government, Citlalli Hernández Mora.

While Rojo de la Vega argued that the sculptures were placed without official permission and behind the community's back, Hernández described their removal as an act motivated by a "distorted right-wing agenda."

The mayor of Cuauhtémoc, Alessandra Rojo de la Vega, announced via social media that the sculptures were removed after receiving multiple complaints from residents of the Tabacalera neighborhood. She stated that their installation was irregular, as they lacked the proper permits or the official certificate from the Committee of Monuments and Artistic Works in Public Spaces.

“Neither Che nor Fidel requested permission to settle in Cuba… and neither did the Tobacco Factory. But here the law is upheld. Free Cuauhtémoc,” the councilor stated in a video posted on the X platform (formerly Twitter).

She also revealed that the sculptures were being held illegally by a municipal employee, without any legal documentation to support their custody. For the mayor, their removal was an act of respect for the law and the community's public spaces.

The Secretary of Women's Affairs, Citlalli Hernández Mora, responded harshly to the removal of the statues, suggesting that the decision was not based on legal criteria, but rather on ideological ones.

"The only reason seems to be a deranged right-wing agenda," said Hernández, who accused Rojo de la Vega of acting for political rather than administrative reasons. "It's said and nothing happens, but be clear about this, Mayor," she added on social media.

The exchange escalated quickly, and hours later, Rojo de la Vega spoke out again, this time with a more critical stance: “Dictatorships and repressive regimes are bad, no matter where they come from.”

The confrontation reveals the tensions between two opposing political visions in the nation's capital: one tied to the leftist ruling party represented by Morena, and another more conservative and opposition-leaning one led by figures like Rojo de la Vega.

This episode also reopens the debate on the use of public space for symbolic purposes, the historical figures chosen for tribute, and the legal framework that regulates such decisions.