Mérida, Yucatán — Restoration work will continue on schedule despite a minor collision at the Monumento a la Patria.
That’s what officials are saying after assessing the damage from the startling mishap.
A van broadsided the monument around 11 a.m. Friday after its 21-year-old driver reported a mechanical failure.
No injuries were reported and damage to the property was not considered significant.
The monument has been clad in scaffolding for weeks, and officials have been in planning mode for months. Work is to begin this week on actual cleaning and restoration, concluding in three months.
The monument divides the historic Paseo Montejo from the modern Prolongación Paseo Montejo. It was designed by the Colombian artist Rómulo Rozo.
The monument was inaugurated in 1956 after 12 years of work. The structure has 31 columns which represent the 28 states of the Republic of Mexico, two territories and the Federal District.
Rozo died in Mérida in 1964 at the age of 65, after spending his last 33 years in Yucatán. His remains are buried at the foot of the monument.
