One of the most famous monuments in the Portuguese capital, Lisbon, has been defaced. The ship-shaped monument, called Padrao dos Descobrimentos, is a symbol of the colonial past.
Like many controversial statues in our country, the United States and the United Kingdom, a famous monument in honor of colonialism in Lisbon was defaced. The monument was written in red letters: “By sailing blinded by money, mankind is drowning in the bloody Red Sea.”
The Padrao dos Descobrimentos in Santa Maria de Belém is one of Lisbon’s most popular attractions. It is located on the banks of the Tagus River. Henry the Navigator is depicted on the monument with dozens of figures such as Vasco da Gama, discoverer of the sea route to India.
The mayor of Lisbon, Fernando Medina, reports that the memorial has already been cleaned. “The best answer for those who vandalize property is immediate cleanup,” she said on Twitter.
This is not the first time that statues honoring colonialism in Lisbon have been covered in paint. Earlier, a Catholic missionary who wanted to convert the indigenous people of Brazil in the 17th century was also demonized.
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