Gabriela Mistral Statue to Join General Baquedano in Santiago's Plaza Italia

Santiago, Chile – Plans are underway to install a new statue of Chilean Nobel laureate Gabriela Mistral in Plaza Italia. This announcement comes from the Minister of Public Works, Aisén Etcheverry, who confirmed the project during a recent radio interview. The statue will share space with the existing statue of General Baquedano. "Effectively, we will have monuments in Plaza Italia where General Baquedano will be, and also the sculpture of Gabriela Mistral," Etcheverry stated. The placement of Mistral's statue alongside Baquedano's is particularly significant given the historical context of Plaza Italia and the removal of Baquedano's statue in 2021 following acts of vandalism. The juxtaposition of these two figures—one representing national literary achievement and the other a controversial military figure—promises to spark conversation and reflection on Chilean history and identity. The 80th anniversary of Mistral's Nobel Prize in 2025 adds another layer of significance to this project.