NEW YORK The controversial statue of Fidel Castro by sculptor Daniel Edwards was finally disposed of today, courtesy of Univision Radio’s La Kalle 98.3 FM, which organized a special event with local DJs and members of the Cuban community in Miami to dump Castro, literally, in a garbage truck.
La Kalle invited the Connecticut-based sculptor to Miami, where he listened to the community’s concerns via call-ins and personal statements during the El Traketeo morning show. After a week of listening to the testimonials, he agreed to give the statue to the local community.
“[Edwards] gave us the statue to burn, but we thought that was a bit too barbaric,” a Univision Radio representative said. Instead, the bust would be dumped in a garbage truck parked on Avenue 36, between 7th and 8th Streets, in the heart of Little Havana.
The event, which was held this morning and broadcast live, included a ceremony to honor what Univision Radio called “the victims of Fidel Castro’s 40-year regime” by reading out loud the names of well-recognized figures of the Cuban-American community. Cuban songstress Albita performed during the event.
Rage against Edwards’ sculpture was not limited to Florida. Earlier this month, Union City, N.J., Mayor Brian Stack sent a letter to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg opposing the temporary display of Edwards’ “Fidel Castro’s Deathbed Portrait” in Central Park. The statue was never put up.
