Statue of Heydar Aliyev, Mexico City

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Statue of Heydar Aliyev
Spanish: Estatua de Heydar Alíyev, Azerbaijani: Heydər Əliyevin heykəli
Statue of Heydar Aliyev (Mexico City).jpg
The statue in 2012
Statue of Heydar Aliyev, Mexico City
Former location in Mexico City
Medium Bronze
Subject Heydar Aliyev
Dimensions3.60 m(11.81 ft)
ConditionRemoved
Location Mexico City, Mexico
Coordinates 19°25′27″N99°10′46″W / 19.4242°N 99.1794°W / 19.4242; -99.1794

The statue of Heydar Aliyev [a] is a bronze sculpture of the third president of Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev, previously installed along Paseo de la Reforma, in Chapultepec, Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico City. It has been removed after drawing mass criticism from human rights activists.

Contents

In the early 2010s, the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Mexico donated two statues to the city. The first was the statue of Aliyev, installed on 22 August 2012 in the former Mexico-Azerbaijan Friendship Park in Chapultepec. The second, a woman mourning the Khojaly massacre, was placed in Tlaxcoaque Plaza. According to Ilgar Mukhtarov, Azerbaijan's ambassador to Mexico, both statues were given to the country as a gesture of gratitude to Mexico for being one of the first countries to recognize Azerbaijan's independence.

After its installation, the statue of Aliyev drew criticism from neighbors and human rights activists, who considered it disrespectful and insensitive due to his controversial political background. Members of the Azerbaijani community, however, expressed support for the monument. On 26 January 2013, the government of Mexico City removed the statue and returned it to the Azerbaijani embassy. Since then, the location and status of the statue have not been publicly disclosed.

Description and installation

Heydar Aliyev c. 2000 Heydar Aliyev.jpg
Heydar Aliyev c. 2000

Heydar Aliyev was an Azerbaijani politician who served as president of Azerbaijan between 1993 and 2003. [1] Although Heydarism became influential in national politics and Azeri society, Aliyev has been criticized internationally, being described as an "iron fist" leader, [2] "dictator", [3] and "authoritarian". [4]

According to Ilgar Mukhtarov, Azerbaijan's ambassador to Mexico, negotiations for the sculptural project began in 2008, though it was not until 2010 that they were formalized. He stated that the initiative aimed to show appreciation to Mexico for being one of the first countries to recognize Azerbaijan's independence. [5] On 13 July 2011, both nations signed an agreement to start the project. [6] In the same month, it was endorsed by the Citizens' Governing Council of Chapultepec Park (Spanish: Consejo Rector Ciudadano del Bosque de Chapultepec; CRC). [7] However, during the controversy around the statue, members of the panel later said they were ignorant to the abuses attributed to Aliyev. Committee member Monica del Villar said the project "presented to us was completely different from what they built." [8]

The designated area was named "Mexico-Azerbaijan Friendship Park" (Spanish: Parque de la Amistad México-Azerbaiyán), [9] and was located along Paseo de la Reforma, on the edge of Chapultepec. [10] The area covers 1,700 square meters (18,000 sq ft), and it is illuminated with solar street lights. [7] Construction began in April 2012. [7] The statue was donated by the Azerbaijani embassy in Mexico, [7] stands 3.6 meters (12 ft), [11] and was shipped from Azerbaijan. [7]

On 22 August 2012, Marcelo Ebrard, then head of government of Mexico City, inaugurated the project. [5] Tracy Wilkinson of the Los Angeles Times criticized the project, describing the memorial as "Aliyev [sitting] on a white marble pedestal [with] his name embossed in golden letters", placed "in front of a jagged stone map of Azerbaijan", taking note of their failure to mention its ranking as "one of the most corrupt countries". [8] The map is almost 8 meters (26 ft) tall. [9] Will Grant of BBC News described that a plaque referred to Aliyev as "a great politician and statesman", and criticized the Azerbaijani embassy of employing "Stalinesque control". [12]

Khojaly massacre memorial

The embassy of Azerbaijan in Mexico donated the statue in Tlaxcoaque Plaza (pictured in 2012) Capilla de la Concepcion Tlaxcoaque y Estatua.jpg
The embassy of Azerbaijan in Mexico donated the statue in Tlaxcoaque Plaza (pictured in 2012)

Additionally, the embassy donated a second statue, which was installed in Tlaxcoaque Plaza. [13] The accompanying plaque originally described the Khojaly massacre as a "genocide", [14] though it was later revised to read "massacre". [15] The embassy also donated approximately Mex$65 million [16] (around five to six million US dollars) [10] [12] [b] which were allocated for improvements to the former Friendship Park and Tlaxcoaque Plaza. [12] According to Mukhtarov, the embassy did not transfer funds directly to the city government but instead paid private construction firms to carry out the work. [12]

Reception

By November 2011, after conducting further research on Aliyev, [10] the CRC withdrew its endorsement and requested that the city government reconsider the installation of the statue. [19] According to Mexican writer and former CRC member Denise Dresser, "[after requesting them to reconsider it,] they thought we were making a mountain out of a molehill [...] They were clueless and they were ignorant, and we alerted them to the fact that they were clueless and ignorant." [10]

Controversy started by early September 2012. [14] On 27 September, residents of Chapultepec protested the statue's installation, calling it "disrespectful and insensitive". [20] Eduardo Farah, a community activist, led a small demonstration consisting of 20 people, where they waved banners calling for "the removal of the dictator". [8] The National Human Rights Commission recommended its removal. [21] Elnur Majidli, organizer of the 2011 Azerbaijani protests, also criticized the project, [6] saying that corruption was involved "necessarily" in the project. [20] Alexander Lapshin, a journalist that was arrested by Azerbaijani authorities due to a visit to Nagorno-Karabakh, compared the statue's installation to Mexico erecting a monument to a drug lord. [22] Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas, then serving as Mexico City's international affairs coordinator, commented that it "does not honor Mexico City, and Mexico City does not have any reason to honor him". [17]

In October, Eduard Nalbandyan, then-Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, expressed concern to Patricia Espinosa, then-Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, regarding the statue of Aliyev and the classification of the Khojaly massacre as "genocide", which conflicted with the position of the OSCE Minsk Group. [6] Armenia and Azerbaijan have been in a longstanding geopolitical conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh since the October Revolution of 1917 and do not maintain diplomatic relations. [23]

Mukhtarov said the information concerning Aliyev was "erroneous and manipulated by the Armenian opposition", [20] adding that Aliyev "abolished capital punishment and promoted policies that improved Azerbaijan's economy". [24] On 27 November 2012, 30 Azeri protesters based in Mexico called for the statue to remain in place; however, the statue was removed regardless. [25]

Removal

Former location of the statue in 2018, showing the stone map of Azerbaijan still standing in the park. Mexico City (2018) - 028.jpg
Former location of the statue in 2018, showing the stone map of Azerbaijan still standing in the park.

On 22 October, a special commission was created to determine the statue's future. [20] In January 2013, the group recommended its removal. [17] Five months after its installation, [26] the sculpture was removed by Mexico City authorities during the early morning of 26 January. [17] The city had previously signed an agreement to keep the statue in place for 99 years. [27] [28] It was transported to a warehouse of the Urban Development and Housing Secretariat, located at Camarones Avenue and Eloudy Street, [20] in the colonia ("neighborhood") of Del Recreo of the Azcapotzalco borough. [17] Joshua Kucera described the place as "strewn with debris and stacks of bricks", calling it an "ignominious fate" for Aliyev. [14]

Manuel Luna, private secretary to Mukhtarov, said the embassy of Azerbaijan was never notified about the removal. [20] The embassy later asked the city government to return the sculpture. [29] Salvador Campos, former Mexican ambassador to Azerbaijan and Turkey, considered the problem stemmed from Mexico City’s failure to consult the federal Secretariat of Foreign Affairs. [6] As a consequence, Azerbaijan withdrew US$3.8 billion in planned investments, which were intended for building oil refineries and improving public spaces in Mexico. [24]

As of November 2013, the statue was placed in a private home in the colonia of Lomas de Chapultepec. [24] In January 2015, the government of Mexico City donated to the embassy of Azerbaijan a property along Paseo de la Reforma in Lomas de Chapultepec. [30] [31] In response to the controversy, the Committee for Monuments and Artistic Works in Public Spaces (Comité de Monumentos y Obras Artísticas en Espacios Públicos, COMAEP) was established to prevent similar incidents in the city's future. [32]

Notes

  1. ↑ Spanish: Estatua de Heydar Alíyev; Azerbaijani: Heydər Əliyevin heykəli.
  2. ↑ Other sources estimate the investment at between 40 and 100 million pesos (between 3 and 10 million US dollars). [17] [18]

References

  1. ↑ "'Che' Guevara, Fidel, Colón y otros monumentos retirados que han causado polémica" ['Che' Guevara, Fidel, Columbus, and Other Removed Monuments That Have Sparked Controversy]. Nación 321 (in Spanish). 17 July 2025. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
  2. ↑ Sepúlveda, Abdiel (17 July 2025). "Desde Colón hasta exlíder de Azerbaiyán; las polémicas estatuas que fueron reubicadas en CDMX" [From Christopher Columbus to a former Azerbaijani leader: The controversial statues that were relocated in Mexico City]. El Universal (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 July 2025.
  3. ↑ Rueda, Manuel (22 October 2012). "Azerbaijan 'Dictator' Statue Angers Mexico City Residents". ABC News . Archived from the original on 11 November 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  4. ↑ Espíndola, José Pablo (17 July 2025). "No sólo Fidel y el 'Che': estas esculturas también han sido retiradas en México" [Not Just Fidel and 'Che': These sculptures have also been removed in Mexico]. Uno TV (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 July 2025.
  5. 1 2 Grant, Will; Hernández Pasten, Alan (3 October 2012). "La estatua azerí que causa controversia en México" [The Azeri statue that sparked controversy in Mexico]. BBC News (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 7 October 2020. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Soní Solchaga, Francisco (2 March 2015). "México y su embrollo caucásico" [Mexico and its Caucasian mess]. Foreign Affairs Latinoamérica . Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México. Archived from the original on 22 February 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Contreras, Cintya (23 October 2012). "Permanece la polémica por estatua de Heydar Aliyev" [Controversy over Heydar Aliyev statue continues]. Excélsior (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 28 October 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  8. 1 2 3 Wilkinson, Tracy (19 October 2012). "At Mexico City park, statue of Azerbaijan leader elicits protest". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on 5 January 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  9. 1 2 Contreras, Cintya (26 June 2012). "México-Azerbaiyán el parque incómodo de Chapultepec" [Mexico-Azerbaijan, the uncomfortable park of Chapultepec]. Excélsior (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Malkin, Elisabeth (12 November 2012). "Statue of a Foreign Autocrat Sits Uneasily With Some" . The New York Times . Archived from the original on 27 October 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  11. ↑ "GDF retira estatua de Aliyev de Paseo de la Reforma" [The Government of Mexico City removes statue of Aliyev from Paseo de la Reforma]. Aristegui Noticias (in Spanish). 26 January 2013. Archived from the original on 25 July 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Grant, Will (3 October 2012). "Mexico row over Azeri leader Heydar Aliyev's statue". BBC News. Archived from the original on 5 November 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  13. ↑ Paramaguru, Kharunya (5 October 2012). "Why Is There a Monument to Azerbaijan's Strongman on Mexico's Avenue of Heroes?". Time . Archived from the original on 29 January 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  14. 1 2 3 Kucera, Joshua (30 January 2013). "Monumental Mistakes: How Azerbaijan botched its effort to win friends and influence people in Mexico City". Slate . Archived from the original on 5 November 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  15. ↑ Kucera, Joshua (30 January 2013). "How Azerbaijan Botched Its Effort To Win Friends in Mexico". Slate. Archived from the original on 18 December 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
  16. ↑ Castillo, Moises (3 November 2012). "La estatua de Aliyev, reflejo de una masacre" [The statue of Aliyev, a reflection of a massacre]. Siempre! . Archived from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 "México: retiran polémica estatua de ex líder de Azerbaiyán" [Mexico: controversial statue of former Azerbaijan leader removed]. BBC News (in Spanish). 26 January 2013. Archived from the original on 15 October 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  18. ↑ "Monumento a ex dictador de Azerbaiyán costó '10 mdd': columnistas de 'La Razón'" [Monument to former dictator of Azerbaijan cost '10 million dollars': columnists of 'La Razón'] (in Spanish). Aristegui Noticias. 29 October 2020. Archived from the original on 10 April 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  19. ↑ "Consejo Rector del Bosque de Chapultepec reta a GDF" [Citizens' Governing Council of Chapultepec Park challenges the Government of Mexico City] (in Spanish). Aristegui Noticias. 23 October 2012. Archived from the original on 7 November 2020. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ramírez, Kenya (27 January 203). "Buscan otro sitio para el monumento de Heydar Aliyev" [Another site for the Heydar Aliyev monument sought]. Excélsior (in Spanish). Mexico City. Archived from the original on 27 April 2016. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  21. ↑ "Derechos Humanos considera "necesario" retirar monumento a Aliyev en el DF" [Human Rights considers 'necessary' to remove the monument to Aliyev in Mexico City]. Expansión . CNN en Español. 20 January 2013. Archived from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  22. ↑ "De prisión a la persecución global, la odisea Alexander Lapshin" [From prison to global persecution: The odyssey of Alexander Lapshin]. Quadratin (in Spanish). 17 June 2025. Archived from the original on 18 June 2025. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
  23. ↑ Weise, Zia; Cienski, Jan; Herszenhorn, David M. (28 September 2020). "The Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict explained". Politico . Archived from the original on 15 November 2020. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  24. 1 2 3 Ramírez, Kenya (7 November 2013). "Azerbaiyán retira inversión millonaria por polémica estatua de Aliyev" [Azerbaijan withdraws million-dollar investment due to controversy over Aliyev statue]. Excélsior (in Spanish). Mexico City. Archived from the original on 12 October 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  25. ↑ "Comunidad azerí pide al GDF que no quite la estatua" [Azeri community asks the Government of Mexico City not to remove the statue]. La Razón (in Spanish). 27 November 2012. Archived from the original on 17 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  26. ↑ "Quitan a Heydar Aliyev de Reforma y lo embodegan en Azacapotzalco" [Heydar Aliyev is removed and warehoused in Azcapotzalco] (in Spanish). W Radio. 27 January 2013. Archived from the original on 17 November 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  27. ↑ "Heydər Əliyevin Meksikadakı heykəlinin götürülməsi məsələsinə YAP-dan açıqlama" [New Azerbaijan Party issues statement on the removal of Heydar Aliyev's statue in Mexico] (in Azerbaijani). AZNews. 29 November 2012. Archived from the original on 27 October 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  28. ↑ "Mexico pulls Azerbaijan statue from park". Al Jazeera. 26 January 2013. Archived from the original on 27 October 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  29. ↑ "Mexico moves Azeri ruler statue". BBC News. 26 January 2013. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  30. ↑ "La historia de la estatua de Heydar Aliyev, continuará..." [The story of the Heydar Aliyev statue continues...] (in Spanish). Aristegui Noticias. 9 January 2015. Archived from the original on 17 October 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  31. ↑ "GDF entrega predio en Reforma a Azerbaiyán" [Government of Mexico City hands over property on Reforma to Azerbaijan]. Milenio (in Spanish). Mexico City. 7 January 2015. Archived from the original on 19 October 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  32. ↑ "GDF busca evitar otro caso Aliyev" [Government of Mexico City seeks to avoid another Aliyev case]. La Razón (in Spanish). 15 March 2013. Archived from the original on 17 December 2021. Retrieved 16 December 2021.

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