On my first day in Mexico City, I didn’t have a lot of specific destinations, but rather just started walking and exploring and seeing whatever I happened upon. While walking down a pedestrian zone called Madero Street (and not knowing any of the history related to it), I saw this sculpture of a man on a ladder wearing pants covered with faces, and that certainly caught my attention.
I’m not going to try to explain the history of the Mexican Revolution, but in a quick overview as to what led to this sculpture: President Porfirio Díaz (1876–1911) was challenged by Francisco Madero in the 1910 election, Díaz jailed him, and Madero called for an armed uprising. Enter Francico “Pancho” Villa, who was a key figure in the revolutionary movement that forced out President Díaz and brought Francisco I. Madero to power in 1911. From what I’ve gathered, this sculpture depicts Pancho Villa installing a plaque on this corner in 1914, declaring this street as Madero Street, with the warning that anyone who might consider removing the plaque would be shot.
I’m not finding anything online to fill me in on why his pants have faces on them, but then again, perhaps it’s just a symbolic design, based on a translation I found of the sign next to the sculpture, which reads:
2023, Year of Francisco Villa, the People’s Revolutionary. Words of Francisco Villa, before the tomb of Francisco Madero, December 8, 1914: “Time will make Madero the greatest figure in the history of Mexico. I wish I could do more for him, with this simple statement, we prove that we still love and appreciate him. May his glorious example always be before us as we work for the regeneration of our beloved homeland.”
