Mexico City’s Tabacalera Park witnessed the demand from social, union, and political groups, convened by the Mexican Movement of Solidarity with Cuba, for authorities in the Cuauhtemoc mayor’s office to return two statues of those prominent figures to their original location.

The decision to remove the sculptures was made on Wednesday by the mayor of Cuauhtemoc, Alessandra Rojo de la Vega, who claimed that the monument lacked the required permits, an argument later denied.

A statement from the Mexico City government informed two days later that the removal of the figures was “outside the established norms,” as it was not authorized by the Committee of Monuments and Artworks in Public Spaces (COMAEP).

The text also clarified that the decision to establish this group was submitted to COMAEP, the body empowered to approve any intervention of this nature, which approved the proposal made by the Mayor’s Office at the time, and the positive opinion for its placement was formally notified.

The cast bronze work, made by artist Oscar Ponzanelli, consists of a park bench with two full-body sculptures of Che Guevara and Fidel Castro.

It measures 1.40 meters by 1.30 meters, has a depth of 0.80 meters, and weighs approximately 250 kilograms.

Considered a symbol of friendship between Cuba and Mexico, the two statues commemorate the first meeting of the two prominent figures.

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