Man Is Shot at Protest Over Statue of New Mexico’s Conquistador

“Carrying this foot is a powerful act of resistance,” Mr. Hardgroove said.

Officials in Rio Arriba County told the Albuquerque Journal that the statue in Alcalde was being removed “temporarily.”

The discussion about what to do with the statues is feeding a broader debate over race and identity in New Mexico. For many Hispanics, statues of Oñate and other conquistadors represent symbols of resistance to Anglo dominance in New Mexico since the 19th century.

“We’ve been living among each other for 400 years, intermarrying, making New Mexico what it is today,” Mr. Arellanes said in a telephone interview, while emphasizing that he had Indigenous ancestry from Tewa-speaking peoples. “This is what happens when people try to drive a wedge between us.”

Others, however, said it may be time to stop honoring conquistadors. Michelle Lujan Grisham, the governor of New Mexico, said on Twitter that taking down the Oñate statue in Alcalde was “a step in the right direction” toward understanding New Mexico’s complicated history and “imbalanced power structures.”

Brian Vallo, the governor of Acoma Pueblo, said he agreed with removing the Oñate statues, drawing a connection between the atrocities carried out centuries ago during the conquest and the legacy of those events today. He pointed to the vulnerability of tribal nations in the face of Covid-19 and the heightened risk they face of dying, as an example of how Indigenous peoples are still struggling with extreme inequality.

“This is not anything new for Acoma,” said Mr. Vallo, who opted against speaking at the Albuquerque protest on Monday to remove the Oñate statue. He said he was trying to lead by example for a people that have followed strict distancing measures in an attempt to prevent infections. “It has to be understood that Acoma has been dealing with this trauma since it happened in 1599.”

The impetus for removing the statues also points to shifting definitions in New Mexico of what it means to be Hispanic or Native American. Some pushing to take the monuments down identify as Genízaros, descendants of enslaved Indians who were raised in Hispanic culture, while other proponents of the statue removals suggest there are other ways to recognize the endurance and resilience of New Mexico’s Hispanic culture.