Anti-monuments are installed in Mexico ( in Spanish) during popular protests to recall a tragic event or to maintain the claim for justice to which federal and local governments have failed to provide a satisfactory response in the eyes of the complainant. These are erected for issues related to forced disappearances, massacres, femicides and other forms of violence against women, or any other act of violence.
Anti-monuments by topic Because most of the anti-monuments are unnamed anonymous works, and the press refers to them simply as "Antimonumentos", some names are unofficial and use recognizable elements to distinguish them from other similar works.
2014 Iguala mass kidnapping The first anti-monument in the country features a "Plus 43" and a "Because they were taken alive, we want them alive!" slogan written in Spanish in reference to the 43 students that were kidnapped as they were traveling to commemorate the anniversary of the 1968 Tlatelolco massacre. Six other students were killed that night. In 2018, a concrete turtle whose shell contains 43 little turtles and whose limbs bear the names of the students, was built in front of the anti-monument.
PictureNameStateLocation Date of installationConditionAntimonumento +43Mexico CityEsquina de la Información, Paseo de la Reforma Avenue, Colonia Centro 26 April 2015 In place 25 September 2018 In place
2009 Hermosillo daycare center fire The first anti-monument has a 49 and the letters "ABC" in reference to the name of the daycare where the 49 children were killed. The daycare was owned by the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS). Two years later, multiple bronze statues of children's shoes with the names of the victims were placed next to it. In 2020, a second anti-monument features 49 white crosses were installed in front of the Secretariat of the Interior Offices.
PictureNameStateLocation Date of installationConditionAntimonumento 49 ABCMexico CityIMSS Headquarters, Paseo de la Reforma Avenue, Colonia Juárez 5 June 2017 In place 5 June 2019 In place#JusticiaABCSecretariat of the Interior Offices, Abraham González Street, Colonia Juárez 3 November 2020 Removed or relocated
Kidnapping of David Ramírez and Miguel Ángel Rivera David Ramírez and Miguel Ángel Rivera were kidnapped on 5 January 2012. Although the ransom payment was made, both were not returned and their whereabouts or conditions are unknown. The plaque calls for padlocks to be placed as a sign of protest.
PictureNameStateLocation Date of installationConditionRescatemos a David y MiguelMexico CityEsquina de la Información, Paseo de la Reforma Avenue, Colonia Juárez 5 January 2018 In place
2006 Pasta de Conchos mine disaster Erercted to honor the 65 miners that died during the 2006 Pasta de Conchos mine disaster. The main anti-monument features a 65 number that supports a plus symbol. The symbol has written a legend that says "With one voice, rescue now!", as well as the names of all the victims of the collapse. The following year, behind the structure, a cage with 63 helmets with the names of the victims that were not rescued was placed; these are buried with charcoal lumps.
PictureNameStateLocation Date of installationConditionAntimonumento +65Mexico CityIn front of the Mexican Stock Exchange Building, Paseo de la Reforma Avenue, Colonia Juárez 18 February 2018 In place19 February 2019 In place
1968 Tlatelolco massacre In honor to the victims of the 1968 Tlatelolco massacre. The anti-monument features a white dove and a plaque that blames the federal government and the Mexican Armed Forces for the massacre.
PictureNameStateLocation Date of installationCondition2 de OctubreMexico CityIn the corner of Madero Street and the Zócalo, Colonia Centro2 October 2018 In place
Violence against women The first , an anti-monument installed to demand justice for the victims of gender violence and femicides in the country, was the Antimonumenta in Mexico City. It was placed by mothers and relatives of victims of feminicide, during the march #8M for the 2019 International Women's Day. Since then, multiple have been installed throughout the country.
PictureNameStateLocation Date of installationConditionRef.AntimonumentaMexico CityIn front of the Palace of Fine Arts, Juárez Avenue, Colonia Juárez 8 March 2019 In placeAntimonumentaSan Luís PotosíPlaza de Armas, historic center of San Luis Potosí City27 October 2019 DestroyedCruz de VidaMexico CityPaseo de la Reforma and Avenida de los Insurgentes1 December 2019 In placeAntimonumentaState of MexicoIn front of the municipal palace of Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl25 November 2019 In placeAntimonumentaJaliscoPlaza de Armas, Colonia Centro, Guadalajara25 November 2020 In placeAntimonumenta (Banca Roja)In front of the Rotonda de los Jaliscienses Ilustres, Hidalgo Avenue, Colonia Centro, Guadalajara In place Memorial por víctimas de feminicidioHidalgoPlaza Juárez, Colonia Centro, Pachuca In place AntimonumentaQuintana RooChetumal Congress, Colonia Barrio Bravo, Chetumal30 November 2020 In placeAntimonumentaVeracruzParque Apolinar Castillo, Colonia Centro, Orizaba7 March 2021 RemovedAntimonumentaPort of Veracruz, Colonia Ignacio Zaragoza, Veracruz City8 March 2021 In placeAntimonumentaMichoacánFuente de las Tarascas, Colonia Centro, Morelia Replica in placeMexico CityFormer Columbus Roundabout, Paseo de la Reforma, Colonia Juárez 25 September 2021 In placeAntimonumentaOaxacaFuente de las 8 Regiones, Colonia Reforma, Oaxaca City25 November 2021 In place AntimonumentaYucatánPaseo de Montejo, Mérida In placeAntimonumenta, Monumenta VivaNuevo LeónGovernment Palace of Nuevo León, Monterrey 15 May 2022 In placeAntimonumentaHidalgoParque Hidalgo, Pachuca 24 November 2023 RelocatedAntimonumentaDurangoColonia Chapala, Gómez Palacio 8 March 2026 In place
2008 New's Divine fire To honor the victims killed during the New's Divine nightclub tragedy. It was installed in memory of those killed during the event.
PictureNameStateLocation Date of installationConditionAntimonumento del New's DivineIn front of National Palace, Zócalo, CentroMexico City 22 June 2019 Removed
Killing of Samir Flores Soberanes Samir Flores Soberanes opposed the construction of a federal hydroelectric plant in his community. He was killed the day after he attended an assembly and challenged the accuracy of the information being presented, describing the consultation as a simulation and accusing the federal government of promoting a disinformation campaign. One year after his assassination, a bust was placed in the school named after him in the community of Amilcingo, Morelos. The next day, after a related march in Mexico City, a replica of the bust was placed in the Zócalo square.
PictureNameStateLocation Date of installationConditionBust of Samir Flores SoberanesMorelosAmilcingo, Temoac Municipality 20 February 2020 In placeMexico CityZócalo, Colonia Centro 21 February 2020 In place
Killing of cyclists Consisting of ghost bikes, it was erected to honor cyclists killed in the country, demanding greater road safety for cyclists.
PictureNameStateLocation Date of installationConditionAntimonumento a las víctimas vialesMexico CityIn front of the Secretary of Mobility of Mexico City 19 February 2021 In place
2010 San Fernando massacre Erected in honor of the 72 migrants murdered during the 2010 San Fernando massacre. It was installed to remember that migration is a human right.
PictureNameStateLocation Date of installationConditionAntimonumento +72Mexico CityIn front of the then-Embassy of the United States Building, Paseo de la Reforma, Colonia Juárez 22 August 2020 In place
1971 Corpus Christi massacre To honor the victims of the 1971 Corpus Christi massacre. The anti-monument features a red V and phrases that blame the federal government of Mexico for the massacre.
PictureNameStateLocation Date of installationConditionAntimonumento a El HalconazoMexico CityJuárez Avenue and Humboldt Street 10 June 2021 In place
Missing persons Disappearances and missing person cases in Mexico are frequent. The first related anti-monument was installed with the permission of the Puebla City Council, residents placed photographs of several missing persons on trees in the streets of the historic center. The next day, the photographs were removed to place Christmas decorations.
The second anti-monument was the Glorieta de las y los Desaparecidos in Mexico City, installed by collectives that sought to make visible the numbers of missing persons. The anti-monument was removed by the city government but was reinstalled days later.
A third anti-monument was installed at the Angel of Independence roundabout on 12 July 2026, but it was removed a few hours later.
PictureNameStateLocation Date of installationConditionÁrbol de la EsperanzaPueblaHistoric center of Puebla 5 December 2021 RemovedGlorieta de las y los DesaparecidosMexico CityGlorieta de la Palma roundabout 8 May 2022 In placeMéxico, campeón en desapariciónMexico City Angel of Independence roundabout 12 July 2026 Removed
Opposition to the Mayan Train To visibilize the impact to the Mayan jungle and its human and animal population, it was installed by environmentalists protesting against the Mayan Train, which passes through several jungle zones. The plaque reads, "Here we put on record that in the name of 'development' and 'progress' the Mayan Train was built, evicting people, extinguishing species, devastating the jungle, and threatening ecosystems. Only you, in the future, will be able to say if it was worth it..."
PictureNameStateLocation Date of installationConditionAntimonumento al Tren MayaMexico CityEsquina de la Información, Paseo de la Reforma Avenue, Colonia Centro 23 November 2022 In place
Death of Giovanni López Giovanni López died while in police custody on 4 or 5 May 2020. A few days later, on 25 May, George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis, United States, in similar circumstances sparking national and international protests. López's brother released his arrest video a month later, which caused hundreds of young people to gather in downtown Guadalajara on 5 June. The local government arrested multiple people that day
Police officers arrested and disappeared demonstrators for hours. The original anti-monument was installed adjacent to the Antimonumenta on the third anniversary of what protesters dubbed as "El Halconazo Jaliciense". The sculpture was removed by the government the day it was installed. A month later, protesters created a removable replica.
PictureNameStateLocation Date of installationConditionAntimonumento 5JJaliscoPlaza de Armas, Colonia Centro, Guadalajara 5 June 2023 Removed 5 July 2023 Existing, but removable
Liga Comunista 23 de Septiembre To honor the eople who were killed or disappeared by the government of Mexico in their struggle to establish a communist government in the country. Placed during the 50th anniversary of the creation of the Liga Comunista 23 de Septiembre.
PictureNameStateLocation Date of installationCondition Liga Comunista 23 de SeptiembreJaliscoPlaza San Andrés, Colonia San Andrés, Guadalajara 23 September 2023 In place
Transgender visibility Installed during the International Transgender Day of Visibility, in front of the municipal palace of Aguascalientes City.
PictureNameStateLocation Date of installationCondition Aguascalientes Municipal palace, Colonia Centro, Aguascalientes 31 March 2024 Removed 31 March 2025 In place
Ecological disaster in Sonora Installed during the of a Grupo México mining company dumping 40,000 cubic meters of acidified copper sulfate leachate into the Bacanuchi and Sonora rivers.
PictureNameStateLocation Date of installationCondition SonoraPlaza Emiliana de Zubeldía, Colonia Centro, Hermosillo 7 August 2024 In place
Gaza genocide Placed by collectives protesting against the Gaza genocide carried out by Israel during the Gaza war.