Editing Juan de Oñate (section)

====Alcalde statue====
{{main|Equestrian statue of Juan de Oñate}}
In the [[Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Center]] (until 2017 the Oñate Monument and Visitor Center) in [[Alcalde, New Mexico]], is a 1991 bronze statue dedicated to Oñate. In 1998, New Mexico celebrated the 400th anniversary of his arrival. Shortly before (December 29, 1997), and the close dates are no coincidence, unknown perpetrator(s) cut off the statue's right foot<ref name="nyt02">Ginger Thompson. [https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9904E6DE1138F934A25752C0A9649C8B63 "As a Sculpture Takes Shape in Mexico, Opposition Takes Shape in the U.S.,"] ''The New York Times'', January 17, 2002. Retrieved 2008-07-15.</ref> and left a note saying, "Fair is fair." Sculptor Reynaldo Rivera recast the foot, but a seam is still visible. Some commentators suggested leaving the statue maimed as a symbolic reminder of the foot-amputating [[Acoma Massacre]]. A local filmmaker, [[Chris Eyre]], was contacted by one of the two perpetrators, saying "I'm back on the scene to show people that Oñate and his supporters must be shamed." The sculptor responded that chopping feet "was the nature of discipline of 400 years ago."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Plevin |first1=Nancy |title=Vandals maim bronze sculpture at visitors center near Espanola |work=Santa Fe New Mexican |date=Jan 8, 1998}}</ref>

In 2017, the statue's left foot was painted red and the words "Remember 1680" (year of the [[Pueblo Revolt]]) were written with paint on the monument's base.<ref>{{cite news|title=Statue's Stolen Foot Reflects Divisions Over Symbols of Conquest|first=Simon|last=Romero|date=30 September 2017|access-date=3 October 2017|newspaper=New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/30/us/statue-foot-new-mexico.html}}</ref>

The county of Rio Arriba temporarily removed the statue on June 15, 2020, which followed wider efforts to [[List of monuments and memorials removed during the George Floyd protests|remove controversial statues across the United States]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Writer|first=Molly Montgomery SUN Staff|title=County Takes Down Oñate Monument|url=http://www.riograndesun.com/news/county-takes-down-o-ate-monument/article_2530ed9c-af2f-11ea-b2e9-4f1a4633c37b.html|access-date=2020-06-15|website=Rio Grande SUN|date=15 June 2020 |language=en}}</ref> It is unknown whether the statue will be returned to its place in the future, with a statement from Rio Arriba County Commission stating: "Rio Arriba County residents need to understand that a final policy decision has not been made about the Oñate statue other than its removal today to protect it from damage or destruction. The County Commission welcomes a respectful and civil discussion from its residents about the future of the Oñate statue."<ref>{{Cite web|last=Writer|first=Amanda Martinez|title=Oñate statue taken down, for now|url=https://www.taosnews.com/stories/onate-statue-taken-down-alcalde-nm,64370|access-date=2020-06-17|website=Taos News|date=15 June 2020 |language=en}}</ref>