Lasers Deployed to Clean Monumento a la Patria After March 8 Protests

Following damage to the Monumento a la Bandera during the March 8th women’s day protests, specialists from the National Institute of Anthropology and History, or INAH, conducted a technical inspection of the affected monuments. 

The findings confirmed that the Monumento a la Patria had sustained serious damage from spray paint, acrylic paint, and adhesive posters. 

The monument has proven especially difficult to clean, given the porous material of which it was constructed 80 years ago. 

The INAH determined that the monument would require a comprehensive restoration project rather than a simple cleaning. The agency emphasized that any intervention must be carried out by specialized personnel to avoid causing additional harm to the historic monument. 

Using Laser Technology

After evaluating various options, specialists turned to pulsing laser technology as the most promising method for removing the graffiti without damaging the underlying stone. This technique had previously been used successfully in Yucatán for cleaning the San Ildefonso Cathedral.

The laser operates by emitting pulses of light that are absorbed by the paint layer. The energy causes the paint to vaporize or fragment into particles that can be removed. At the same time, the stone beneath remains largely unaffected because it does not absorb the laser energy in the same way. 

The process allows for highly controlled cleaning, with operators able to adjust parameters to suit different paint colors and types.

Silvia Delgado, a representative of the Yucatecan company Eco Laser, which conducted the tests, explained that results vary depending on the color and type of material being removed. Darker colors such as black, blue, purple, and green respond very well to the treatment. Other colors are more challenging. Aerosol paints are generally easier to remove than acrylics and vinyl-based paints.

The testing phase was crucial because the monument’s stone surface is not uniform. The sculpture features varied textures and finishes, and the paint has been applied in different ways across different areas. Specialists conducted tests on each color in the graffiti to determine the appropriate laser parameters for each case.

The Challenge of Conservation

The cleaning of the Monumento a la Patria illustrates an extreme example regarding the challenges of preserving public art in urban environments. 

Monuments are, by their nature, exposed to the elements and human activity. They serve as backdrops for demonstrations, celebrations, and everyday life. This visibility is part of their purpose, but it also makes them vulnerable.

The INAH has emphasized that the restoration must be carried out with care and expertise. Previous restoration work on the monument between 2016 and 2017 addressed certain conservation issues but did not include protective strategies. 

This time, the authorities are considering whether to apply what are known as sacrificial coatings, intended to protect the monument from future vandalism while still allowing it to remain accessible to the public.

The March 8 Protests

The events that led to the damage of the Monumento a la Patria occurred on March 8, International Women’s Day. 

More than 6,000 demonstrators gathered in Mérida to march for women’s rights, with some reports indicating that over 8,000 marchers took part.  

As the march advanced along Paseo de Montejo, participants made their way to four monuments in the area and engaged in what some referred to as acts of protest, while others considered nothing short of vandalism.

Other vandalized structures included the monuments to the Montejo family, Felipe Carrillo Puerto, and Justo Sierra O’Reilly.

The monuments had been protected by metal barriers placed by authorities in anticipation of the march. However, the participants managed to knock down these barriers using kicks, hammer blows, and crowbars. 

The security forces from the Secretariat of Public Security withdrew without confronting the protesters once the barriers were breached. 

In a notable departure from previous years, the authorities did not deploy riot police with shields and batons. Instead, female state police officers were present a short distance away and distributed bottles of water to the demonstrators.