UWI receives bust of Mexican hero Francisco Villa

On November 20, UWI's St Augustine campus received a bust of iconic Mexican revolutionary Francisco Villa, donated by the Mexican embassy.

Ambassador Victor Hugo Morales unveiled the bust in the Alma Jordan Library. Ambassador Victor Hugo Morales unveiled the bust in the Alma Jordan Library.

Villa, a symbol of resistance against repression and dictatorship, was one of Latin America’s most significant figures.

Morales said Villa was a man of dual personality: violent and kind, sagacious and illiterate, brave and sensitive.

"He was also a hero of novels and films, who detested the exercise of political power, but demanded social justice for all. To claim the character of Francisco Villa is an act of rescuing the transcendence of a social fighter who still continues to forge a legend."

Villa was born in 1878, in northern Mexico. He was a frontier man.

The well-known American journalist John Reed – author of Ten Days That Shook the World, on the Russian revolution – called him the Mexican Robin Hood.

Speaking at the event, UWI deputy principal Indar Ramnarine reflected on Villa's significance, saying his life was "a testament to fighting for the marginalised and disenfranchised. His advocacy for reform in Mexican society left an indelible mark on history and garnered international acclaim. His legacy resonates with the UWI’s mission of promoting social justice and equality.”

He said as UWI celebrates its 75th anniversary, the donation of this bust underscored the university’s long-standing commitment to battling discrimination and championing social justice.

"The UWI has historically been a hub for intellectual discourse on colonialism, slavery and other forms of oppression, actively advocating for independence and social reform.

"The Alma Jordan Library is proud to be the recipient of a bust of this legendary figure as a central piece of the library’s exhibit Heroes de la Patria, a collection dedicated to freedom fighters, the great architects of independence and heroes who have shaped the region such as Simon Bolivar, Jose Marti and Juan Pablo Duarte."

Dr Amery Browne, Minister of Foreign and Caricom Affairs, members of the diplomatic corps and members of the UWI board were present.