1 00:00:01,760 --> 00:00:04,720 Speaker 1: La Brega is back this season. We're spending time with 2 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:07,160 Speaker 1: the people and symbols that represent Puerto Rico. 3 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:10,080 Speaker 2: We're proud Borricos and what does that mean? 4 00:00:10,480 --> 00:00:12,120 Speaker 3: And we are still terrified. 5 00:00:15,360 --> 00:00:18,919 Speaker 1: We're telling stories about champions from a place worth fighting for, 6 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:22,160 Speaker 1: stories that will inspire you no matter where you're from. 7 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:27,560 Speaker 1: Come o, wow, this is La Brega Campeones. Listen early 8 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:37,080 Speaker 1: and ad free with Fubuto Plus. 9 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:37,040 Speaker 2: Today. 10 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:39,279 Speaker 1: Dear listener, we have a special treat for you. 11 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:44,120 Speaker 4: We're sharing the newest season of Futuro Studio's hits show 12 00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:48,240 Speaker 4: La Brega. It's the bilingual podcast that tells stories about 13 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:51,960 Speaker 4: the Puerto Rican experience. You're about to hear the premiere 14 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:56,440 Speaker 4: of season three. This season is all about the Campones, 15 00:00:56,600 --> 00:01:00,640 Speaker 4: the Puerto Rico, the champions of the archipelago, and we 16 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:03,360 Speaker 4: look at what we can all learn about Puerto ricaniss 17 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:06,800 Speaker 4: by spending some time with them. All right, I'm going 18 00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:08,759 Speaker 4: to pass the mic right now to A La La 19 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:13,480 Speaker 4: Casanova Burgess. She's the host of La Brega. Also, dear listener, 20 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:17,520 Speaker 4: justa heads up, this episode contains some strong language. 21 00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 1: It wasn't just any Monday morning in Puerto Rico. It 22 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:30,760 Speaker 1: was January twenty fourth, twenty twenty two, and there was 23 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:32,160 Speaker 1: a lot of anticipation. 24 00:01:33,319 --> 00:01:39,760 Speaker 5: Oh is a boneque toli di mojolando del com soo 25 00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:41,479 Speaker 5: de glass signor Cassi. 26 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:44,280 Speaker 1: For one thing, kids in Puerto Rico were going back 27 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:47,240 Speaker 1: to in person classes, even though the pandemic was still 28 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 1: in full swing. Some students hadn't been in a classroom 29 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 1: for two years because of the earthquakes in the south. 30 00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:57,880 Speaker 1: And also on this Monday, the King was coming. 31 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:12,359 Speaker 6: El Rey Felipe Sexto, the actual King of Spain, Felipe. 32 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:18,360 Speaker 1: Or King Felippe the sixth, was coming to celebrate the 33 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:22,240 Speaker 1: five hundredth anniversary of the founding of San Juan. His 34 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 1: visit had been postponed from the year before, and the 35 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:29,440 Speaker 1: press was poised to cover three carefully choreographed days of meetings. 36 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:32,640 Speaker 1: They had the official schedule, and they were ready to 37 00:02:32,639 --> 00:02:38,919 Speaker 1: tell us about its. 38 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:43,360 Speaker 6: Actos proto colares, proto colaris protol transmission simul. 39 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:49,080 Speaker 1: Those actos proto colares. All of that pomp and circumstance 40 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:53,960 Speaker 1: were in service of a bigger goal. According to TV analysts, Now, 41 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:57,440 Speaker 1: as a US colony, Puerto Rico can't go around making 42 00:02:57,480 --> 00:03:00,760 Speaker 1: trade deals with other countries. But the king was coming 43 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:04,800 Speaker 1: with Spain's Minister of Commerce. So talking heads on TV 44 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:08,280 Speaker 1: like a former governor kept saying the visit could spell 45 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:12,320 Speaker 1: investment for Puerto Rico. You know, deals, deals, deals. 46 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:14,200 Speaker 7: In Mondantero. 47 00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:20,960 Speaker 1: Isac So the stakes were high. When we woke up 48 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:24,680 Speaker 1: that Monday morning, logged onto Twitter or Facebook or Instagram 49 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:31,400 Speaker 1: and saw photos nobody was expecting. According to police, the 50 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:35,160 Speaker 1: statue of the Spanish Conquistello Juan bon Selon in Old 51 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:39,000 Speaker 1: San Juan had been vandalized sometime around four thirty am. 52 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:44,520 Speaker 1: Although vandalized seemed like an understatement. In photos, we could 53 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:48,400 Speaker 1: see this green bearded sculpture lying on the ground, face up, 54 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:51,480 Speaker 1: next to his white pedestal. He was broken in two 55 00:03:51,840 --> 00:03:54,680 Speaker 1: Bones's legs had come off from his body just below 56 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:57,880 Speaker 1: his medieval puffy shorts. Part of his base had come 57 00:03:57,920 --> 00:04:01,160 Speaker 1: off too, so he was surrounded by chunks of rubble. 58 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:05,839 Speaker 1: The real Bonse DeLeon had been appointed by Spain as 59 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:09,120 Speaker 1: the first governor of Puerto Rico in fifteen oh nine. 60 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:13,119 Speaker 1: His statue had been pointing south, perhaps towards the original 61 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:16,680 Speaker 1: capital city, Gabarra, with his other hand on his hip, 62 00:04:17,240 --> 00:04:19,840 Speaker 1: but on the ground it looked like the statue was 63 00:04:19,880 --> 00:04:22,640 Speaker 1: holding his finger up in the air, as if he 64 00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:26,839 Speaker 1: wanted to say just one more thing before everyone stopped listening. 65 00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:33,200 Speaker 8: He looked small Cepaso genio Eto Borgue. 66 00:04:33,440 --> 00:04:36,880 Speaker 1: For many media commentators, like talk radio show host Ruben 67 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:42,120 Speaker 1: Sanchez on WKAQ, the big reaction was horror, shock, dismay. 68 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:45,880 Speaker 1: The statue, he told Mayor Miguel Romero, had been there 69 00:04:45,920 --> 00:04:51,719 Speaker 1: since he was a little boy. But actually it had 70 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:54,839 Speaker 1: been up in that place since the eighteen nineties, right 71 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:58,120 Speaker 1: off the famous Cay San Sebastian, next to the Church 72 00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:01,800 Speaker 1: of San Jose, the same church that King Filippe was 73 00:05:01,839 --> 00:05:06,040 Speaker 1: scheduled to visit the very next day. The mayor had 74 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:10,000 Speaker 1: the royal planes arrival time at his fingertips. 75 00:05:09,440 --> 00:05:14,160 Speaker 7: Antoce agira Ute, Pa Felippe. 76 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:19,280 Speaker 9: Bahalacinco Quarenta, Sinkouena. 77 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:23,960 Speaker 1: And perto Rico sometime between five forty five and five 78 00:05:23,960 --> 00:05:32,000 Speaker 1: point fifty that very afternoon. Perhaps the mayor said, the 79 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:35,600 Speaker 1: monarch doesn't even notice these kinds of things. Maybe the 80 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:41,800 Speaker 1: protest wasn't even about the royal visit, but it absolutely was. 81 00:05:44,920 --> 00:05:47,880 Speaker 1: Even before seven am, a group called the fort Sasleber 82 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:52,120 Speaker 1: Daisle Borricin had taken responsibility for pulling the statue down. 83 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:55,120 Speaker 1: They hadn't been heard of before and they haven't been 84 00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:58,680 Speaker 1: heard of since. But the message was no kings and 85 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:02,560 Speaker 1: no gringo in vain. They were linking Ponce de Leon, 86 00:06:02,880 --> 00:06:06,080 Speaker 1: a symbol of Spanish colonialism, to people from the United 87 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:10,799 Speaker 1: States moving to Puerto Rico for tax incentives, displacing Puerto Ricans. 88 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:15,240 Speaker 1: Whoever was behind the group, they had gotten everyone's attention 89 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:21,080 Speaker 1: coming up after the break an empty pedestal. 90 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:22,680 Speaker 7: So it's pretty ridiculous. 91 00:06:22,720 --> 00:06:24,520 Speaker 8: I didn't think they would be able to do it 92 00:06:24,560 --> 00:06:27,240 Speaker 8: because the statue was broken in half. 93 00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:33,720 Speaker 1: This is La Brega. 94 00:06:34,040 --> 00:06:38,480 Speaker 9: There's a lot going on right now, mounting economic inequality, threats, 95 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:43,560 Speaker 9: the democracy, environmental disaster, the sour stench of chaos. 96 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:43,560 Speaker 2: In the air. 97 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:48,360 Speaker 9: I'm Brook Gladstone, host of WNYC's On the Media. Want 98 00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:52,400 Speaker 9: to understand the reasons and the meanings of the narratives 99 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:55,040 Speaker 9: that let us hear, and maybe how to head them 100 00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:58,640 Speaker 9: off at the pass. That's on the media's specialty. Take 101 00:06:58,680 --> 00:06:59,880 Speaker 9: a listen wherever you get. 102 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:06,599 Speaker 1: Yours WEPA, We're back. 103 00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:10,240 Speaker 8: I immediately call the friend, and we came here like 104 00:07:10,320 --> 00:07:12,680 Speaker 8: really really early, just sort of to see it. I 105 00:07:12,720 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 8: needed to see this statue on the ground. 106 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:20,960 Speaker 1: Rafael Capo Garcia leads Memorial de Colonial, a group that 107 00:07:21,080 --> 00:07:23,080 Speaker 1: gives counter narrative history tours. 108 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:27,040 Speaker 8: It was me and probably three other people interested in 109 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:29,400 Speaker 8: what had happened, and then you had the press, you 110 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:36,680 Speaker 8: had municipal employees outraged with how you could deface this monument. 111 00:07:45,720 --> 00:07:49,800 Speaker 1: Rafael already knew the statue really well. He used to 112 00:07:49,800 --> 00:07:52,080 Speaker 1: be a high school history teacher and he'd bring his 113 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:55,120 Speaker 1: students to Old San Juan for field trips, teaching them 114 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:59,040 Speaker 1: to question whether violent colonizers were really heroes and champions 115 00:07:59,040 --> 00:08:02,000 Speaker 1: who deserved to be a pedestal. So when he saw 116 00:08:02,040 --> 00:08:06,320 Speaker 1: Ponteleleon lying on the ground, he felt hopeful. 117 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:08,120 Speaker 7: I was I was hopeful. 118 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:11,560 Speaker 8: I was excited that that we were going to finally have, 119 00:08:12,360 --> 00:08:15,040 Speaker 8: uh these conversations, much needed conversations. 120 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:20,400 Speaker 1: But that conversation about who really represents Puerto Ricans and 121 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:23,320 Speaker 1: Puerto rican Ness, it didn't seem like there was going 122 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 1: to be time for it to happen, because by eight 123 00:08:26,200 --> 00:08:30,880 Speaker 1: thirty am, Mayor Romero had already made a promise in interviews. 124 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:34,720 Speaker 1: He sounded confident, even breezy, standing next to the empty 125 00:08:34,760 --> 00:08:36,720 Speaker 1: pedestal speaking with a reporter from. 126 00:08:36,559 --> 00:08:44,319 Speaker 10: Minuelo Lea in Quete. 127 00:08:44,760 --> 00:08:47,680 Speaker 1: He expected the statue to be back up that very 128 00:08:47,679 --> 00:08:48,240 Speaker 1: same day. 129 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:52,439 Speaker 8: So the municipal government had to run, had to hustle 130 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:55,640 Speaker 8: to get this statue up because in their minds, they 131 00:08:55,720 --> 00:08:58,760 Speaker 8: couldn't allow the King of Spain to visit San Juan 132 00:08:58,880 --> 00:09:03,200 Speaker 8: and see this symbol of Spanish heritage on the ground. 133 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:05,360 Speaker 1: Did you think that they would be able to do it? 134 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:07,360 Speaker 7: So, it's pretty ridiculous. 135 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:09,200 Speaker 8: I didn't think they would be able to do it 136 00:09:09,280 --> 00:09:13,200 Speaker 8: because the statue was broken in half. Imagine like it 137 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:17,520 Speaker 8: takes them forever to fix a pothole. 138 00:09:18,160 --> 00:09:19,360 Speaker 7: Right, It was. 139 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:22,840 Speaker 1: Actually Mayor Rometo who acknowledged the pothole problem that morning. 140 00:09:23,360 --> 00:09:26,199 Speaker 1: The city would have to spend public funds on fixing 141 00:09:26,240 --> 00:09:29,520 Speaker 1: the statue, he lamented, instead of on fixing a pothole. 142 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:37,560 Speaker 1: There are some potholes in Puerto Rico that are old 143 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:40,240 Speaker 1: enough to have birthday parties, but the city was going 144 00:09:40,280 --> 00:09:43,600 Speaker 1: to go ahead and try to repair Juampeleone in less 145 00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:49,040 Speaker 1: than a day. It felt ridiculous. Online, people were coping 146 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:52,520 Speaker 1: with the absurdity the usual way with memes. 147 00:09:52,920 --> 00:09:56,240 Speaker 11: I saw it like at ten am eleven am, and 148 00:09:57,160 --> 00:09:59,280 Speaker 11: I just started brainstorming. 149 00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:02,040 Speaker 1: From Pablo Dias, who goes by Humpy, is a political 150 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:05,080 Speaker 1: satirist and actor. He wanted to get something out about 151 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:06,400 Speaker 1: the statue really quickly. 152 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:09,600 Speaker 11: I thought, well, I can do a parody of a 153 00:10:09,640 --> 00:10:12,439 Speaker 11: song because the music is already there. I just had 154 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:15,200 Speaker 11: to change the words. Is the King of Spain? What 155 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:19,000 Speaker 11: is a good song? A good recognizable song? The statue 156 00:10:19,040 --> 00:10:39,199 Speaker 11: is broke partillo coassan partio Alejandro Sanz, Let's go. 157 00:10:55,160 --> 00:10:57,840 Speaker 1: Swumpy also rigged a bit moji to look like a 158 00:10:57,880 --> 00:11:01,479 Speaker 1: green bearded singing along to the song. 159 00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:11,800 Speaker 7: Colonial There's a particular. 160 00:11:11,320 --> 00:11:15,120 Speaker 1: Line he wrote. The statue sings, you all know that 161 00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:17,840 Speaker 1: nothing will be the same without me. How will you 162 00:11:17,920 --> 00:11:19,040 Speaker 1: remember colonialism? 163 00:11:19,720 --> 00:11:24,240 Speaker 7: So prince like gooza. 164 00:11:24,679 --> 00:11:28,120 Speaker 1: It's a punch because in Puerto Rico, nobody needs a 165 00:11:28,120 --> 00:11:32,439 Speaker 1: statue to remember colonialism. It's not in the past. And 166 00:11:32,520 --> 00:11:36,080 Speaker 1: so far, around five hundred years of Puerto Rico's colonial 167 00:11:36,120 --> 00:11:39,560 Speaker 1: past and present were being crammed into one single day. 168 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:43,360 Speaker 1: More and more layers were revealing themselves as the hours 169 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:48,400 Speaker 1: ticked by potholes earthquakes, tax incentives, the literal King of Spain. 170 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:53,360 Speaker 11: I think Puerto Ricans laugh to get less pissed off. 171 00:11:53,840 --> 00:11:56,600 Speaker 1: And actually the more Humpy remembered the day with me, 172 00:11:57,040 --> 00:12:03,040 Speaker 1: the more pissed off he gottemist. He remembered that the 173 00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:06,800 Speaker 1: coverage was taking the vandalism of the statue so seriously 174 00:12:07,400 --> 00:12:16,839 Speaker 1: as though it was a national catastrophe. Yes, not easier. 175 00:12:18,040 --> 00:12:20,560 Speaker 1: For example, here's a comparison to the attack on the 176 00:12:20,559 --> 00:12:43,960 Speaker 1: Twin Towers on nine to eleven. And there was a 177 00:12:44,040 --> 00:12:46,920 Speaker 1: disconnect between the way the government and the press were 178 00:12:46,920 --> 00:12:50,360 Speaker 1: handling the story and the anger and mockery that we 179 00:12:50,360 --> 00:12:54,280 Speaker 1: were seeing online. There were Valentine's Day cards like you 180 00:12:54,360 --> 00:12:58,440 Speaker 1: Knock me over like, and jokes about the statue being 181 00:12:58,480 --> 00:13:00,520 Speaker 1: too high to get up off the floor, a party 182 00:13:00,880 --> 00:13:04,440 Speaker 1: asking someone to get him a sandwich. People were playing 183 00:13:04,440 --> 00:13:07,920 Speaker 1: with the idea of honoring other more deserving figures instead 184 00:13:08,240 --> 00:13:11,920 Speaker 1: photoshopping Briquez like Idis Chacohon and bad Bunny up on 185 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:20,360 Speaker 1: Pon DeLeon's old spot. Because the thing is in Puerto Rico. 186 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:23,600 Speaker 1: There's no shortage of people who deserve to be honored 187 00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:26,640 Speaker 1: on a pedestal. If you ask around old San Juan, 188 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:30,480 Speaker 1: or even in that same square Blasa san Jose, You'll 189 00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:33,560 Speaker 1: hear so many better options than Juan. 190 00:13:35,679 --> 00:13:39,160 Speaker 5: Any other person honestly, but yeah, I just won't like 191 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:39,640 Speaker 5: to see him. 192 00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:57,200 Speaker 1: Baseball players, musicians, poets, boxers, independence activists, Ricky Martin. 193 00:13:58,720 --> 00:13:59,120 Speaker 7: Or Meyer. 194 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:09,800 Speaker 5: God, those are just the persons that pop up. 195 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:18,440 Speaker 1: I heard creative responses, ideas for things that aren't even human, 196 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:28,400 Speaker 1: like a tree or a goddess. I heard enthusiasm to 197 00:14:28,440 --> 00:14:32,840 Speaker 1: the point of yelling. 198 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:37,200 Speaker 7: Poor Fa. 199 00:14:39,080 --> 00:14:41,320 Speaker 1: And I heard the names of tons of talented and 200 00:14:41,360 --> 00:14:46,800 Speaker 1: distinguished Briquas icons who inspire so much devotion. 201 00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:49,480 Speaker 3: Wow. 202 00:14:56,120 --> 00:14:59,720 Speaker 1: Growing up, my mother and I'm sure probably your mother too, 203 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:05,720 Speaker 1: would point out Puerto Ricans everywhere. She still does. Hi, 204 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:08,640 Speaker 1: I just wanted to tell you that I saw the 205 00:15:08,720 --> 00:15:13,640 Speaker 1: Jimmy Fallon show and I heard the planarios de la Crista. 206 00:15:13,760 --> 00:15:15,360 Speaker 2: Did you know they're from Cialis. 207 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:19,000 Speaker 1: I can't remember my English father ever leaning over to 208 00:15:19,120 --> 00:15:23,720 Speaker 1: celebrate someone's Englishness, but in Puerto Rico and its diaspora, 209 00:15:24,120 --> 00:15:28,440 Speaker 1: we have a thing for people representing the archipelago, competing 210 00:15:28,440 --> 00:15:35,840 Speaker 1: for it or championing it in some way. That's why 211 00:15:36,320 --> 00:15:39,080 Speaker 1: this season on La Brega We're bringing you stories of 212 00:15:39,160 --> 00:15:42,200 Speaker 1: Puerto Rican champions. We're going to meet fighters who have 213 00:15:42,320 --> 00:15:45,760 Speaker 1: represented us in courtrooms and in boxing rings, and icons 214 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:48,400 Speaker 1: who have worn Puerto Rico on their sashes and on 215 00:15:48,440 --> 00:15:51,720 Speaker 1: their jerseys. We're going to go to the cultural battlefields 216 00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:54,600 Speaker 1: where Puerto Rico is a country and carrying the flag 217 00:15:54,640 --> 00:15:58,120 Speaker 1: takes on even more meaning. What does it mean and 218 00:15:58,200 --> 00:16:01,160 Speaker 1: what does it take to champion Portolico as a nation 219 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:07,200 Speaker 1: unflinchingly and with boundless pride. And perhaps this is why 220 00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:10,920 Speaker 1: the events of January twenty fourth, twenty twenty two felt 221 00:16:11,120 --> 00:16:15,280 Speaker 1: and feel so absurd, because there was an empty pedestal 222 00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:18,560 Speaker 1: just sitting there, and a pantheon of heroes to fill it, 223 00:16:19,200 --> 00:16:22,640 Speaker 1: and yet the government insisted it should be ponzelle Leon 224 00:16:22,760 --> 00:16:25,720 Speaker 1: up there, and that they could resurrect his statue in 225 00:16:25,960 --> 00:16:29,000 Speaker 1: just a day, and the hours were ticking by, so 226 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:32,480 Speaker 1: coming up after the break, remember five hours to go 227 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:33,680 Speaker 1: until the king arrives. 228 00:16:34,160 --> 00:17:08,879 Speaker 3: This is laved Rega. 229 00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:14,320 Speaker 1: By one pm, a city crew had removed the statue 230 00:17:14,320 --> 00:17:18,280 Speaker 1: of one or the two pieces of it from the plaza. 231 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:22,000 Speaker 1: No one knew the whereabouts of the shattered colonizer, but 232 00:17:22,119 --> 00:17:25,200 Speaker 1: with five hours left until the King's arrival. We got 233 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:28,800 Speaker 1: a glimpse someone it seemed likely that it was a 234 00:17:28,880 --> 00:17:33,040 Speaker 1: municipal employee, had recorded an eight second video that I 235 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:36,959 Speaker 1: can only describe as art. The opening frame shows one 236 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:39,800 Speaker 1: of those blue quilted blankets people used to protect the 237 00:17:39,840 --> 00:17:45,480 Speaker 1: precious cargo. A left hand pulls the fabric back and 238 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:57,360 Speaker 1: reveals's face and gives him a short, swift slap. It's 239 00:17:57,400 --> 00:18:00,359 Speaker 1: hard to keep a straight face even just remembering the video. 240 00:18:00,960 --> 00:18:03,880 Speaker 1: It has derailed our editorial meetings and makes it hard 241 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:08,159 Speaker 1: to even record these lines. The comedic timing is impeccable, 242 00:18:08,680 --> 00:18:12,240 Speaker 1: but it's also deep in life. Ponze DeLeon was a 243 00:18:12,320 --> 00:18:17,560 Speaker 1: violent conquistello. As a statue, he was glorified on an 244 00:18:17,600 --> 00:18:22,879 Speaker 1: adorned pedestal, but now he was broken in two and 245 00:18:23,080 --> 00:18:33,000 Speaker 1: casually slapped. That's not to say everyone agreed. It's typical 246 00:18:33,160 --> 00:18:36,720 Speaker 1: when a controversial monument is vandalized for some people to 247 00:18:36,760 --> 00:18:39,479 Speaker 1: see it as an affront to heritage and an effort 248 00:18:39,520 --> 00:18:43,000 Speaker 1: to rewrite history, and there were people who certainly felt 249 00:18:43,040 --> 00:18:46,760 Speaker 1: that way and were offended. Online there were arguments and 250 00:18:46,800 --> 00:18:50,080 Speaker 1: comment sections and on Facebook posts about what the statue 251 00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:55,280 Speaker 1: really represented. The director of the museum of San Juan 252 00:18:55,440 --> 00:19:01,720 Speaker 1: was giving voice to that reaction in interviews Patrimonio el 253 00:19:01,760 --> 00:19:09,159 Speaker 1: Tico Perto Rico. And that's because Jumpone DeLeon isn't only 254 00:19:09,200 --> 00:19:12,639 Speaker 1: a person who existed and who enslaved and killed indigenous 255 00:19:12,680 --> 00:19:16,720 Speaker 1: people and Africans. He's also a symbol of Spanish heritage 256 00:19:16,960 --> 00:19:19,280 Speaker 1: and part of a conversation about what it means to 257 00:19:19,320 --> 00:19:23,119 Speaker 1: be Puerto Rican and who represents our origins. And the 258 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:26,520 Speaker 1: statue of him isn't just any monument. It says a 259 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:31,320 Speaker 1: lot and I mean that literally, Your Juan Pon DeLeon, 260 00:19:32,119 --> 00:19:37,439 Speaker 1: Colon Pgo Bernard Puerto Rico. There's a short film from 261 00:19:37,520 --> 00:19:40,040 Speaker 1: nineteen fifty seven that was made by the Puerto Rican 262 00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:43,679 Speaker 1: government and narrated by the statue. It tells the story 263 00:19:43,760 --> 00:19:50,840 Speaker 1: of the Spanish conquest. It's a real rewriting of history 264 00:19:51,119 --> 00:19:55,000 Speaker 1: with only scant acknowledgment of any violence. The last line 265 00:19:55,080 --> 00:19:58,040 Speaker 1: makes a big claim the people of Puerto Rico are 266 00:19:58,080 --> 00:20:01,119 Speaker 1: a tree and he wants DeLeon is the. 267 00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:03,760 Speaker 2: Root buevlo Puerto Ricane. 268 00:20:05,080 --> 00:20:15,200 Speaker 1: Honorable del Qualdo one pm Felon. If the actual statue 269 00:20:15,240 --> 00:20:18,359 Speaker 1: could really talk, it would tell a much more complicated 270 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:22,120 Speaker 1: story about Puerto Rican identity. Rafael Capo has written about 271 00:20:22,160 --> 00:20:22,879 Speaker 1: it extensively. 272 00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:27,160 Speaker 8: The earliest mention that I found was in eighteen seventy seven, 273 00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:32,840 Speaker 8: a journalist in the conservative newspaper Bolt in Mercantile mentioned 274 00:20:32,960 --> 00:20:37,720 Speaker 8: how Puerto Rico needed to honor its conquistador right, and 275 00:20:37,840 --> 00:20:42,440 Speaker 8: he mentioned that just like in Mexico, Ernan Cortes was 276 00:20:42,560 --> 00:20:47,400 Speaker 8: the Mexican Moses Right who was venerated by all ponzileon, 277 00:20:47,440 --> 00:20:49,440 Speaker 8: should receive the same treatment in Puerto Rico. 278 00:20:50,200 --> 00:20:53,560 Speaker 1: Four years later there's another newspaper report about the statue. 279 00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:56,399 Speaker 1: It has been made in New York and is arriving 280 00:20:56,480 --> 00:21:00,640 Speaker 1: in San Juan, and the material is notable. It's made 281 00:21:00,680 --> 00:21:03,280 Speaker 1: from two bronze cannons that had been used to defend 282 00:21:03,359 --> 00:21:06,119 Speaker 1: Puerto Rico from a failed invasion by the British in 283 00:21:06,280 --> 00:21:10,840 Speaker 1: seventeen ninety seven. This is one of the defining moments 284 00:21:10,920 --> 00:21:14,920 Speaker 1: in Puerto Rican history, when Sir Ralph Abercrombie attacked Sun 285 00:21:14,960 --> 00:21:18,200 Speaker 1: Juan with a massive fleet and thousands of soldiers. 286 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:23,159 Speaker 7: The people that defend Puerto Rico are not just Spanish. 287 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:27,840 Speaker 1: Soldiers, Black Puerto Ricans, Creoles, whites, men, women, Everyone came 288 00:21:27,920 --> 00:21:31,240 Speaker 1: together to fight off the British, and many historians say 289 00:21:31,359 --> 00:21:34,120 Speaker 1: that this is the moment that the Puerto Rican nation 290 00:21:34,359 --> 00:21:36,920 Speaker 1: was created. So when the statue was put up in 291 00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:39,719 Speaker 1: eighteen eighty two, those who had pushed for it were 292 00:21:39,800 --> 00:21:43,399 Speaker 1: celebrating a connection to Spain with this other element baked in. 293 00:21:43,880 --> 00:21:47,359 Speaker 8: For me, the statue and Hispanic heritage has always been 294 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:50,800 Speaker 8: really interesting because of how it sort of has become, 295 00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:55,479 Speaker 8: not so much now, but definitely during the twentieth century 296 00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:58,879 Speaker 8: when the US was trying to Americanize Puerto Ricans, a 297 00:21:58,960 --> 00:22:02,040 Speaker 8: lot of them sought refuge in Hispanicity. 298 00:22:02,480 --> 00:22:05,919 Speaker 1: It was a way of saying we aren't Americans. 299 00:22:05,800 --> 00:22:10,040 Speaker 8: We are something else, and rooting themselves in European and 300 00:22:10,320 --> 00:22:14,800 Speaker 8: Hispanic Spanish heritage was sort of a defensive mechanism. 301 00:22:15,320 --> 00:22:19,399 Speaker 1: Being Spanish was special different. For example, there's a debate 302 00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:21,720 Speaker 1: that comes up in nineteen oh eight for the four 303 00:22:21,840 --> 00:22:25,000 Speaker 1: hundredth anniversary of Ponzeleon arriving in Puerto Rico. 304 00:22:25,359 --> 00:22:29,000 Speaker 8: The official historian of Puerto Rico, Cajano Colitosto, is adamant 305 00:22:29,359 --> 00:22:32,320 Speaker 8: that Juan Ponzeleon has his own national holiday. 306 00:22:32,440 --> 00:22:36,639 Speaker 7: He's a hero in Puerto Rico, and he specifically mentions 307 00:22:36,840 --> 00:22:38,040 Speaker 7: and I love this quote. 308 00:22:38,320 --> 00:22:42,560 Speaker 8: He says, hopefully all conquistadors of the Indies would have 309 00:22:42,640 --> 00:22:47,119 Speaker 8: been as benevolent as Juan Ponzeleon was with the indigenous. 310 00:22:46,600 --> 00:22:47,920 Speaker 7: Peoples of Puerto Rico. 311 00:22:48,440 --> 00:22:52,480 Speaker 8: This is simply not true, because it's it's always that 312 00:22:52,560 --> 00:22:55,880 Speaker 8: Puerto Rico is an exception, right, that we are somehow 313 00:22:56,480 --> 00:23:00,480 Speaker 8: devoid of racism, because in our historical origins, thanks to 314 00:23:01,200 --> 00:23:07,040 Speaker 8: Spanish civilization, we were conceived through mixture and tolerance from 315 00:23:07,119 --> 00:23:11,879 Speaker 8: the beginning. And this narrative is always constructed by positing 316 00:23:12,280 --> 00:23:17,360 Speaker 8: that there is another that is racist and refuses to mix, 317 00:23:17,680 --> 00:23:20,320 Speaker 8: and those are the British, and that is the United States. 318 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:26,720 Speaker 1: So at some point, though, you get up on the pedestal. 319 00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:30,880 Speaker 7: So getting up on the pedestal was not the plan. 320 00:23:31,520 --> 00:23:34,280 Speaker 1: It was around two PM, a little less than four 321 00:23:34,359 --> 00:23:37,240 Speaker 1: hours before the King of Spain was slated to arrive 322 00:23:37,320 --> 00:23:41,080 Speaker 1: in Puerto Rico. On this fateful day. Municipal workers had 323 00:23:41,119 --> 00:23:44,640 Speaker 1: been readying the base to receive the repaired statue. One 324 00:23:44,720 --> 00:23:46,160 Speaker 1: of them had left a ladder. 325 00:23:46,680 --> 00:23:49,280 Speaker 7: He put a ladder there and he left, and I 326 00:23:49,359 --> 00:23:51,439 Speaker 7: looked at my friend. I was like, well, fugget. 327 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:54,520 Speaker 1: And when Rafael got up there, he did the ponce 328 00:23:54,760 --> 00:23:58,160 Speaker 1: leon pose a finger in the air and a hand. 329 00:23:58,040 --> 00:24:05,080 Speaker 8: On the hipagi? 330 00:24:05,600 --> 00:24:08,560 Speaker 1: I were you trolling them a little bit? 331 00:24:08,680 --> 00:24:09,760 Speaker 7: It was definitely trolling. 332 00:24:09,960 --> 00:24:13,680 Speaker 8: I had no intention of staying the entire day, and yeah, 333 00:24:13,800 --> 00:24:15,440 Speaker 8: I stayed there maybe for an hour. 334 00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:18,879 Speaker 1: It was long enough to make some news that a 335 00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:22,440 Speaker 1: protester had delayed the installation of the statue. They took 336 00:24:22,480 --> 00:24:34,879 Speaker 1: it very seriously. Video afterse some other protesters started arriving. 337 00:24:35,560 --> 00:24:37,040 Speaker 1: It was getting close to the deadline. 338 00:24:37,400 --> 00:24:39,280 Speaker 10: I didn't know how it was gonna end. 339 00:24:39,840 --> 00:24:42,680 Speaker 1: Lauda Beres is a journalist based in San Juan and 340 00:24:42,760 --> 00:24:45,720 Speaker 1: an editor for Labrega. She had been reporting for a 341 00:24:45,760 --> 00:24:48,320 Speaker 1: wire service that day and had been in the plaza 342 00:24:48,400 --> 00:24:49,560 Speaker 1: for nearly five hours. 343 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:55,320 Speaker 10: At some point I realized that there were policemen walking 344 00:24:55,359 --> 00:24:56,160 Speaker 10: into the plaza. 345 00:24:56,880 --> 00:24:58,680 Speaker 2: They were wearing riot gear. 346 00:24:58,840 --> 00:25:00,560 Speaker 7: And they were well in stimidating. 347 00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:04,840 Speaker 1: It was four forty five an hour Togo. 348 00:25:05,440 --> 00:25:08,679 Speaker 10: People actually started screaming at them, and what they were 349 00:25:08,760 --> 00:25:11,920 Speaker 10: saying is something I've heard before in this kind of circumstances. 350 00:25:12,119 --> 00:25:15,000 Speaker 10: How come you don't answer the call when my safety 351 00:25:15,080 --> 00:25:16,960 Speaker 10: is at risk? But how come is it that you're 352 00:25:17,040 --> 00:25:19,640 Speaker 10: here now when I'm protesting. 353 00:25:20,119 --> 00:25:23,320 Speaker 1: The riot police marched forward, forcing people out of their 354 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:27,200 Speaker 1: way and forming a line around the pedestal, creating space 355 00:25:27,280 --> 00:25:29,720 Speaker 1: for the municipal workers who had just arrived with the 356 00:25:29,800 --> 00:25:30,760 Speaker 1: repaired statue. 357 00:25:32,440 --> 00:25:36,600 Speaker 10: When they started trying to get wumpozlon out of the peakup, 358 00:25:37,040 --> 00:25:38,800 Speaker 10: that's when I realized, oh, this is. 359 00:25:38,840 --> 00:25:40,520 Speaker 2: Heavy and this is not an easy task. 360 00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:44,280 Speaker 1: Municipal workers brought a couple of cherry pickers with them. 361 00:25:44,520 --> 00:25:46,960 Speaker 1: They're like a small crane with a basket on the end. 362 00:25:47,600 --> 00:25:50,880 Speaker 1: They had wrapped yellow straps around the now intact statue, 363 00:25:51,359 --> 00:25:54,000 Speaker 1: so it looked like Bonce was wearing a ziplining harness. 364 00:25:54,840 --> 00:25:56,920 Speaker 1: He was hanging from a crane while workers in the 365 00:25:56,960 --> 00:25:59,520 Speaker 1: baskets and on the ground tried to position him on 366 00:25:59,560 --> 00:26:02,560 Speaker 1: the pedestal. There was a live stream so we could 367 00:26:02,600 --> 00:26:04,200 Speaker 1: all watch their splayed fingers. 368 00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:10,200 Speaker 10: All of a sudden, the stat was like flying in 369 00:26:10,320 --> 00:26:13,080 Speaker 10: the middle of the square, and he's just flying, but 370 00:26:13,240 --> 00:26:17,399 Speaker 10: like his crooked not like a superhero that knows how 371 00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:17,679 Speaker 10: to fly. 372 00:26:18,440 --> 00:26:21,399 Speaker 1: He was at an angle as though he was really ziplining, 373 00:26:21,840 --> 00:26:24,119 Speaker 1: and they couldn't quite place him as he swung around. 374 00:26:24,680 --> 00:26:26,480 Speaker 2: And I'm not sure that they know what they're doing. 375 00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:27,960 Speaker 1: An hour went by. 376 00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:30,439 Speaker 10: It seemed that they were just improvised, and they were 377 00:26:30,520 --> 00:26:33,760 Speaker 10: just trying to make it work with whatever materials and 378 00:26:34,359 --> 00:26:37,080 Speaker 10: tools they have for whatever it is that they do 379 00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:40,399 Speaker 10: for a living, which is not putting status back up 380 00:26:40,440 --> 00:26:41,040 Speaker 10: on a pedestal. 381 00:26:41,080 --> 00:26:43,520 Speaker 1: I'm sure about that, because the top part of the 382 00:26:43,560 --> 00:26:46,680 Speaker 1: pedestal had also crashed down that morning. The base was 383 00:26:46,760 --> 00:26:49,439 Speaker 1: now shorter, and there didn't seem to be an easy 384 00:26:49,520 --> 00:26:51,560 Speaker 1: way to install the statue, and. 385 00:26:51,680 --> 00:26:54,440 Speaker 10: They had to put it back down. And then Bonzele 386 00:26:54,840 --> 00:26:57,520 Speaker 10: was again lying on the floor of the square. Where 387 00:26:57,600 --> 00:26:58,320 Speaker 10: did they started? 388 00:27:01,840 --> 00:27:04,680 Speaker 1: And meanwhile, in the live feed from the airport, Yeah, 389 00:27:04,920 --> 00:27:12,680 Speaker 1: tabajando el rey felipees exto. Oh, it's the King's plane 390 00:27:12,720 --> 00:27:16,280 Speaker 1: had landed a few minutes early, at five thirty five 391 00:27:16,680 --> 00:27:18,040 Speaker 1: Ailo beemos. 392 00:27:19,280 --> 00:27:19,840 Speaker 3: Perto Rico. 393 00:27:26,440 --> 00:27:30,000 Speaker 1: It was an unforgettable spectacle, a split screen with the 394 00:27:30,080 --> 00:27:32,840 Speaker 1: King on one side getting a red carpet welcome and 395 00:27:32,920 --> 00:27:36,920 Speaker 1: the Conquista statue on the other swinging from yellow nylon straps. 396 00:27:37,520 --> 00:27:40,720 Speaker 1: The audience was Puerto Rico, even though it seemed like 397 00:27:40,760 --> 00:27:42,600 Speaker 1: the show had been put on for someone else. 398 00:27:43,200 --> 00:27:47,399 Speaker 10: We're always thinking about what others think of us, but 399 00:27:47,600 --> 00:27:49,560 Speaker 10: not what we think of ourselves. 400 00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:52,480 Speaker 7: That's Puerto Rico. 401 00:27:54,800 --> 00:27:57,720 Speaker 1: It was just before seven PM when the bronze statue 402 00:27:57,800 --> 00:28:01,639 Speaker 1: of Juampon Deleone was finally re installed, with his legs 403 00:28:01,720 --> 00:28:04,960 Speaker 1: attached to his body and his finger pointing to the south. 404 00:28:05,800 --> 00:28:08,960 Speaker 1: The king had yet to drive past the site, but 405 00:28:09,840 --> 00:28:14,080 Speaker 1: something was wrong. The statue leaned to the left like 406 00:28:14,640 --> 00:28:15,080 Speaker 1: a lot. 407 00:28:16,080 --> 00:28:18,560 Speaker 12: You couldn't in good faith stand back and look up 408 00:28:18,560 --> 00:28:22,520 Speaker 12: at that pedestal and say, on Pontes standing tall, I'm 409 00:28:22,520 --> 00:28:23,200 Speaker 12: proud and straight. 410 00:28:23,320 --> 00:28:23,480 Speaker 7: You know. 411 00:28:25,680 --> 00:28:29,000 Speaker 1: Adrian Florido is a reporter and pr who covers race 412 00:28:29,080 --> 00:28:31,760 Speaker 1: and identity in the US, and when I told him 413 00:28:31,760 --> 00:28:35,080 Speaker 1: I was starting this season with this story, he remembered 414 00:28:35,080 --> 00:28:37,919 Speaker 1: a recording he had made for his side project documenting 415 00:28:37,960 --> 00:28:39,160 Speaker 1: Puerto Rico in sound. 416 00:28:39,640 --> 00:28:42,960 Speaker 12: A lot of times when you're recording and documenting, you 417 00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:44,760 Speaker 12: don't know what it means yet, and I think that's 418 00:28:44,760 --> 00:28:46,640 Speaker 12: true of what happened with the point of their own statue. 419 00:28:47,080 --> 00:28:50,240 Speaker 1: Adrian had followed the movement to remove statues of Confederate 420 00:28:50,320 --> 00:28:53,760 Speaker 1: generals and other figures, and this moment of reflection that 421 00:28:53,840 --> 00:28:56,360 Speaker 1: a lot of communities around the world had had about 422 00:28:56,360 --> 00:28:57,120 Speaker 1: their monuments. 423 00:28:57,720 --> 00:29:00,479 Speaker 12: Who are heroes, you know, like, where are we honoring. 424 00:29:00,880 --> 00:29:03,000 Speaker 12: Let's put the statue in a warehouse for a while 425 00:29:03,120 --> 00:29:05,200 Speaker 12: till we decide what to do with it. A lot 426 00:29:05,240 --> 00:29:08,440 Speaker 12: of places said, no, we're not putting that back up. 427 00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:11,200 Speaker 12: It doesn't represent our values anymore. Other places have left 428 00:29:11,200 --> 00:29:16,120 Speaker 12: the pedestals just blank and empty, you know, which forces 429 00:29:16,200 --> 00:29:19,640 Speaker 12: a conversation about what used to be there and what 430 00:29:19,800 --> 00:29:23,800 Speaker 12: isn't there now and maybe what should be there, And 431 00:29:23,880 --> 00:29:27,120 Speaker 12: maybe they're like, aren't answers to that question necessarily, but 432 00:29:27,240 --> 00:29:29,640 Speaker 12: it forces people at the very least to reflect on. 433 00:29:29,720 --> 00:29:34,160 Speaker 1: It that clearly wasn't happening here. There just wasn't going 434 00:29:34,240 --> 00:29:37,320 Speaker 1: to be time to discuss what this particular statue says 435 00:29:37,400 --> 00:29:44,400 Speaker 1: about Puerto Ricans or Puerto Rico. Adrian got there just 436 00:29:44,520 --> 00:29:47,719 Speaker 1: after it had been reinstalled, and there were protesters heckling 437 00:29:48,280 --> 00:29:52,120 Speaker 1: and pointing out that, yes, the statue was most definitely crooked, 438 00:29:58,480 --> 00:30:00,400 Speaker 1: and he spoke with the director of Public Works for 439 00:30:00,520 --> 00:30:02,200 Speaker 1: San Juan Raoul Garcia. 440 00:30:02,920 --> 00:30:09,680 Speaker 12: Garcia I asked him, is that did you put it 441 00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:11,920 Speaker 12: up the way it was before? Like this looks people 442 00:30:11,920 --> 00:30:12,640 Speaker 12: are saying it looks. 443 00:30:12,440 --> 00:30:18,760 Speaker 7: A little crooked. Luga protest. 444 00:30:23,800 --> 00:30:27,520 Speaker 12: Is the word that Puerto Ricans used cheko Is with Mexican. 445 00:30:32,960 --> 00:30:36,040 Speaker 7: He said, we put it back up exactly the way 446 00:30:36,080 --> 00:30:36,600 Speaker 7: that it should be. 447 00:30:41,760 --> 00:30:44,320 Speaker 1: He says the pedestal is missing, but that they'd be 448 00:30:44,440 --> 00:30:45,200 Speaker 1: fixing it soon. 449 00:30:45,840 --> 00:30:47,840 Speaker 12: I was curious to know whether he'd had the conversation 450 00:30:47,920 --> 00:30:50,320 Speaker 12: with anybody about whether that was the right decision to make, 451 00:30:50,920 --> 00:30:54,040 Speaker 12: given what was happening in other places where these sorts 452 00:30:54,040 --> 00:31:06,440 Speaker 12: of statues had been toppled. This is a statue that 453 00:31:06,480 --> 00:31:08,560 Speaker 12: has been here since the nineteenth century. 454 00:31:09,320 --> 00:31:10,360 Speaker 2: Of course we were going to put. 455 00:31:10,280 --> 00:31:10,640 Speaker 7: It back up. 456 00:31:11,200 --> 00:31:14,320 Speaker 1: It's not a political situation. It's just simply that the 457 00:31:14,360 --> 00:31:16,440 Speaker 1: administration decided to put it back up. 458 00:31:22,200 --> 00:31:27,520 Speaker 7: About this with a hesitation like of course not. 459 00:31:28,840 --> 00:31:32,000 Speaker 1: We asked the municipal government for an interview and for comment, 460 00:31:32,560 --> 00:31:35,560 Speaker 1: and they did not respond. The King did make a 461 00:31:35,680 --> 00:31:38,520 Speaker 1: visit to the church next to the statue during his visit, 462 00:31:39,160 --> 00:31:42,480 Speaker 1: but he didn't walk past it. It seems unlikely that 463 00:31:42,640 --> 00:31:45,040 Speaker 1: he saw it at all, given how far away his 464 00:31:45,200 --> 00:31:48,160 Speaker 1: driver parked. We'll never know if the King of Spain 465 00:31:48,320 --> 00:31:52,440 Speaker 1: noticed the tiny, crooked colonizer, but frankly, I don't think 466 00:31:52,520 --> 00:31:58,240 Speaker 1: most people care if he saw it or not. Four 467 00:31:58,320 --> 00:32:02,760 Speaker 1: years later, Pontleone is still slanted. The city never did 468 00:32:02,840 --> 00:32:05,840 Speaker 1: fix the pedestal, so the effect is that the statue 469 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:08,360 Speaker 1: is leaning to the left and is also lower to 470 00:32:08,440 --> 00:32:12,480 Speaker 1: the ground, not down a peg. Literally, it's telling a 471 00:32:12,560 --> 00:32:19,160 Speaker 1: different story than it used to. I've heard a lot 472 00:32:19,280 --> 00:32:22,480 Speaker 1: of fantasies about what could happen next. What if Bonze 473 00:32:22,520 --> 00:32:26,000 Speaker 1: Deleone keeps leaning and just crashes to the ground again, 474 00:32:26,520 --> 00:32:29,080 Speaker 1: And then what if the bronze from the cannons of 475 00:32:29,120 --> 00:32:31,600 Speaker 1: the statue is made out of is so important to 476 00:32:31,720 --> 00:32:34,440 Speaker 1: a story about Puerto Rican identity? What if it were 477 00:32:34,520 --> 00:32:38,080 Speaker 1: melted down and forged into a new monument. Who would 478 00:32:38,120 --> 00:32:42,000 Speaker 1: we replace him with? What story would that tell? Or 479 00:32:42,600 --> 00:32:45,800 Speaker 1: what if the pedestal were left empty to invite us 480 00:32:45,880 --> 00:32:49,360 Speaker 1: to reflect on who actually represents us? What would we 481 00:32:49,480 --> 00:32:53,000 Speaker 1: learn about Puerto ricanness if we really had that conversation 482 00:32:53,640 --> 00:32:57,360 Speaker 1: about who has championed Puerto Rico and who our heroes are. 483 00:32:58,440 --> 00:33:06,120 Speaker 1: So we're going to do just that. Oh from Futuro Studios, 484 00:33:06,320 --> 00:33:10,520 Speaker 1: I'm Alana Casanova Burgess and this is La Brega. In 485 00:33:10,640 --> 00:33:13,520 Speaker 1: this season Puerto Rican Champions. 486 00:33:13,840 --> 00:33:17,800 Speaker 7: To Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico. 487 00:33:18,960 --> 00:33:20,200 Speaker 4: You don't get that anywhere else. 488 00:33:20,520 --> 00:33:21,080 Speaker 10: It's awesome. 489 00:33:21,560 --> 00:33:24,120 Speaker 2: People would often say are the young lords coming? 490 00:33:24,640 --> 00:33:26,719 Speaker 1: And I would say, the young worlds are here. 491 00:33:27,960 --> 00:33:28,600 Speaker 7: That would be me. 492 00:33:30,400 --> 00:33:37,320 Speaker 1: Sacnificio maxim Imagine that your quadro is bleeding for me, 493 00:33:37,880 --> 00:33:39,440 Speaker 1: the quadras everything. 494 00:33:40,360 --> 00:33:47,400 Speaker 10: Ilo America has told her, who do you think you 495 00:33:47,520 --> 00:33:48,680 Speaker 10: are coming to this country? 496 00:33:49,160 --> 00:33:50,040 Speaker 1: You don't belong here. 497 00:33:50,560 --> 00:33:53,920 Speaker 2: She's like, no, who do you think you are to 498 00:33:54,080 --> 00:34:07,680 Speaker 2: treat me that way? That's it for today. 499 00:34:08,120 --> 00:34:10,680 Speaker 4: What a treat to have played the premiere episode of 500 00:34:10,880 --> 00:34:14,640 Speaker 4: season three of La Brega. The new season is out 501 00:34:14,800 --> 00:34:18,960 Speaker 4: now with fresh episodes every Tuesday. But if you don't 502 00:34:19,000 --> 00:34:21,600 Speaker 4: want to wait, you can become a member of Turoplus 503 00:34:21,920 --> 00:34:25,160 Speaker 4: right now and you'll get to binge everything add free. 504 00:34:25,760 --> 00:34:29,400 Speaker 4: Just click the link in the episode description. Here's Alana 505 00:34:29,480 --> 00:34:31,520 Speaker 4: again with the credits for this episode. 506 00:34:33,400 --> 00:34:35,719 Speaker 1: On the next episode of La Brega, we honor a 507 00:34:35,800 --> 00:34:41,920 Speaker 1: campaign we all love to hear elo Quatro. This episode 508 00:34:42,080 --> 00:34:45,520 Speaker 1: was reported and written by me Alana Casanova Burgess. It 509 00:34:45,680 --> 00:34:49,920 Speaker 1: was produced by Esaquiel Rodrigue Sandino and edited by Maria 510 00:34:50,000 --> 00:34:54,480 Speaker 1: Garcia and Laura Peres. Additional editorial support from our senior 511 00:34:54,560 --> 00:34:58,719 Speaker 1: producer Nicole Rothwell. Original art for this episode is by 512 00:34:58,880 --> 00:35:03,200 Speaker 1: Dania Gonzalez. Special thanks this week to Mark Pagan, Yarimar 513 00:35:03,320 --> 00:35:08,640 Speaker 1: Bo Rilla, Adrian Florido, Tito Roman, Urga Casanova Burgess, Elliott 514 00:35:08,680 --> 00:35:13,440 Speaker 1: Burgess and Alex Owen. The La Brega team includes Nicole Rothwell, 515 00:35:13,719 --> 00:35:19,400 Speaker 1: Essequiela Rodrigues, Sandino, Laara Perez, Liliana Ruis, Roxana Aguire, Maria 516 00:35:19,440 --> 00:35:23,120 Speaker 1: Garcia and Marlon Bishop. Fact Checking this season is by 517 00:35:23,239 --> 00:35:27,840 Speaker 1: Laura Morcoso and Tatiana Rias Ramos. Sound designed by Jacob Rozzarti, 518 00:35:28,360 --> 00:35:32,160 Speaker 1: mixing by Stephanie Lobau, Julia Caruso and j J. Carubin. 519 00:35:32,719 --> 00:35:36,560 Speaker 1: Scoring and musical curation by Jacob Brazzati and Stephanie Lebau. 520 00:35:37,120 --> 00:35:40,840 Speaker 1: Our theme song is by Ife. Original music is by Balloon. 521 00:35:41,360 --> 00:35:44,640 Speaker 1: Our executive producers are Marlon Bishop and Maria Garcia and 522 00:35:44,840 --> 00:35:48,720 Speaker 1: me Ala Na Cassanova Burgess. Legal review by Neil Rossini 523 00:35:48,800 --> 00:35:53,360 Speaker 1: and pro Jorn. Futuro Media was founded by Mariainojosa. Labrega 524 00:35:53,520 --> 00:35:56,799 Speaker 1: is a production of Futuro Studios. This season of La 525 00:35:56,840 --> 00:36:00,400 Speaker 1: Brega was made possible by the Mellon Foundation. Check out 526 00:36:00,400 --> 00:36:03,920 Speaker 1: our website Labrega Podcast dot org for transcripts and more 527 00:36:03,960 --> 00:36:06,920 Speaker 1: information about this episode and if you want access to 528 00:36:07,080 --> 00:36:10,520 Speaker 1: the entire season right now, add free sign up to 529 00:36:10,600 --> 00:36:13,680 Speaker 1: support us as a Futuo Plus member at Futuro Media 530 00:36:13,680 --> 00:36:17,959 Speaker 1: Group dot org, slash join plus, Talk to you soon bye. 531 00:36:31,000 --> 00:36:34,960 Speaker 4: This episode was adapted by Labregas Senior producer Nicole Rothwell 532 00:36:35,239 --> 00:36:39,279 Speaker 4: and Latino USA producer Rinaldo Leans Junior. It was mixed 533 00:36:39,320 --> 00:36:44,200 Speaker 4: by Stefane Lebou, Julia Caruso and JJ Krubin. Nancy Trujillo 534 00:36:44,360 --> 00:36:48,279 Speaker 4: is our production manager. Fernando Echavari is our managing editor. 535 00:36:48,600 --> 00:36:52,799 Speaker 4: The Latino USA team also includes Roxanna guire Rebecque Barra, 536 00:36:53,080 --> 00:36:57,800 Speaker 4: Luis Luna Rori, mar Marquez, Julieta Martinelli, Monica Moreles Garcia, 537 00:36:58,080 --> 00:37:00,680 Speaker 4: Palo Matfees and Adrianna Rodriguez. 538 00:37:01,080 --> 00:37:02,160 Speaker 2: Benni, Lea Meidrez and. 539 00:37:02,239 --> 00:37:06,120 Speaker 4: I are executive producers. I'm Your Host Marie Josa. Latino 540 00:37:06,239 --> 00:37:09,800 Speaker 4: USA is part of Iheart's Mike Futura podcast network. Executive 541 00:37:09,800 --> 00:37:13,440 Speaker 4: producers at iHeart are Leo Gomez and Arlene Santana. Join 542 00:37:13,520 --> 00:37:15,759 Speaker 4: us again on our next episode. In the meantime, you 543 00:37:15,840 --> 00:37:20,120 Speaker 4: can find us on all social media. Don't forget dear listener, 544 00:37:20,480 --> 00:37:23,759 Speaker 4: Join futuro Plus. You'll get to listen to everything at 545 00:37:23,800 --> 00:37:27,880 Speaker 4: free and you'll get special virtual events. So join futu 546 00:37:28,080 --> 00:37:30,879 Speaker 4: Plus right now as then approximate Yes. 547 00:37:32,800 --> 00:37:37,160 Speaker 13: Latino USA is supported by the Mellon Foundation. Melon makes 548 00:37:37,239 --> 00:37:41,200 Speaker 13: grants to support the visionaries and communities that unlock the 549 00:37:41,400 --> 00:37:44,840 Speaker 13: power of the arts and humanities to help connect us 550 00:37:44,880 --> 00:37:49,680 Speaker 13: all more at Melon dot org. Latino USA is made 551 00:37:49,760 --> 00:37:55,600 Speaker 13: possible in part by the Heising Simons Foundation Unlocking knowledge, opportunity, 552 00:37:55,920 --> 00:38:02,040 Speaker 13: and possibilities More at hsfoundation dot org and the John D. 553 00:38:02,360 --> 00:38:04,080 Speaker 13: And Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.