Bronze statue of Pancho Villa peacefully crosses border

May 14, 1981

By MATT PRICHARD
Times staff writer

Thousands of Mexicans, led by the famous revolutionist Francisco “Pancho” Villa, marched across the Rio Grande Wednesday to the tune of a military band.

A handful of U.S. local, state and federal officials walked firmly abreast for the confrontation.

The flags of both nations fluttered and photographers scrambled to get the best shots.

But suddenly Pancho stopped. His horse, Siete Leguas, pawed the bright blue sky.

And the officials of the two nations – which once met with hostile intentions – shook hands. Some embraced.

In addition to using their native languages, a U.S. official spoke Spanish and a Mexican official spoke English.

A Mexican boy let out a grito or shout that would have made Pancho proud.

Then Juarez Mayor Jose Reyes Estrada gave Villa his best wishes for a good trip and the revolutionist was turned over to the American delegation just before 9 a.m. Wednesday.

Surrounded by several Texas Department of Public Safety and El Paso police vehicles, Pancho careened along Paisano Drive through the city on a flatbed truck.

He hit Interstate 10 at Sunland Park and was on his way to Tucson, Ariz., where he was expected to arrive by night.

Francisco Villa brought death and destruction to the United States on his last visit – the pillage of Columbus, N.M., in 1916.

But this time Pancho entered the United States as a 14-foot, 5-ton bronze statue. The likeness, cast at a cost of $260,000, is a gift from Mexican President Jose Lopez Portillo to the people of Arizona.

“This gift signifies that what was friction and obstinacy between these two countries has turned into cordiality,” Juarez television personality Arnaldo Cabada said.

Villa was seen as a bandit and a hero during his turbulent 45 years of life.

Born a peon in San Juan del Rio, Durango, Villa and his fierce troops helped Francisco Madero overthrow Mexican dictator Porfirio Diaz in the Revolution of 1910.

Villa’s memory was burned into history by the savage killing in which his band participated.

Even the Mexicans officially did not recognize the “Centaur of the North” until President Luis Echeverria decreed in 1976 his bones should be placed in the monument to the Revolution in Mexico City with other revolutionary heroes.

But the pride of the Juarenses in the man that stood up for Mexico’s poor and dared to lash out at the “Colossus of the North,” the United States, was evident as the statue crossed the Cordova Bridge Wednesday.

Again and again they responded they were sumamente emocionado or overcome with emotion during the presentation ceremonies.

Sergio Hayden, a student at the Preparatoria del Chamizal high school, called him “our” general.

Sergeant Paublo Ortega Rios of the 26th Batallion of the Mexican Army, stationed near Juarez, said that although “there are many heroes, Villa is the most outstanding in northern Mexico.”

The Villa statue arrived in Juarez May 5, where it remained for repairs after being damaged in the journey from Mexico City.

Wednesday’s final farewell at the Plaza de Banderas in the Chamizal featured popular ballads and poetry about Villa.

Many of the spectators were children let out of school for the occasion. Mariachis and the Gregg Academy’s military band provided music.

The statue was turned over in the middle of the bridge by Humberto Martinez Vargas, representing Chihuahua Gov. Oscar Ornelas.

Agustin Garcia, who received the statue for Arizona Gov. Bruce Babbitt, said the Villa statue does not have a permanent home. He said a site for a park soon will be selected and a base built at state expense.

Tucson’s Mexican-American community made requests that resulted in Villa’s likeness crossing the border as a gift.

There are “obviously feelings both ways” regarding the honoring of Villa in the United States, Garcia said. But he emphasized the gift as a promotion of good relations between the nations.

Reyes Estrada joked that he hoped Villa had no problems going through U.S. Customs “since he doesn’t have a passport.”

Comments

[Bev Cole]

Would love to see some pictures of this event. Thank you. Bev in Lynchburg, VA

[Trish Long]

I'm sorry Bev I wasn't able to locate any photos for this article.

[Lawrence Halter]

Saw the picture of the statue, it was quite impressive. It was quite ironic that Villa, who once terrorized communities in the New Territories, is now hailed as a hero. Times change, I guess. I wouldn't be surprise if one day a statue of Che Guevara would be erected in Washington D.C. Guevara needs no monument, his face is already immortalized on t-shirts.