Why is there a statue of the first indigenous president of Mexico in Fresno?
The statue of Benito Juárez García, a Zapotec Indian who later became President of México, has stood in the heart of the city of Fresno for more than two decades.
But why is the bronze statue of México’s first indigenous president in Fresno?
The statue of Juárez in Fresno’s Courthouse Park was unveiled by the Oaxacan community in 2003, according to Vida en el Valle.
Oralia Maceda and her late husband Rufino Domínguez, then coordinator of the Frente Indígena de Organizaciones Binacionales (Indigenous Front of Binational Organizations) partnered with leaders of the Centro Binacional para El Desarrollo Indígena Oaxaqueño (Binational Center for Oaxacan Indigenous Development), or CBDIO, to secure the funding and permits for the installation of the statue in Fresno.
Then Fresno County Supervisor Juan Arámbula submitted a proposal to his colleagues for the statue to be placed in Courthouse Park next to the Hall of Justice. The proposal passed unanimously, according to a March 2003 Vida en el Valle article.
In a recent interview, Arámbula said he was approached by the Oaxacan community and believed it was important to recognize Juárez for his accomplishments and his leadership in México during a critical time in history.
Juárez was a Mexican politician, military commander, and lawyer who served as governor of Oaxaca state and was the 26th president of México from 1858 until his death in office in 1872 at age 66. A Zapotec, he was the first democratically elected Indigenous president in the postcolonial Americas.
Maceda said the statue of Juárez, which was donated by then Oaxaca Governor José Murat Casab, represents an example of the struggle — and perseverance — that a Zapotec indigenous person endured in his time.
“A symbol of struggle, of resistance, and we as indigenous people outside our communities have to continue those examples or legacies, that we can do it,” said Maceda, who is of Mixtec origin. “It doesn’t matter if one doesn’t speak Spanish or English. We have the strength and knowledge to fight for the rights we have as individuals and as a community.”
Arámbula said the Courthouse Park is a place to recognize important contributions made by people from all the communities living in Fresno County.
The Oaxacan community in the Central Valley is big, especially in Madera and Kern counties, according to the Mexican Consulate in Fresno.
The consulate estimates about 30,000 Oaxacans live in the Central Valley, with approximately 150,000 across California. The indigenous community is mainly Mixtecos, Zapotecos, or Triquis, with a smaller number from another indigenous groups like Mixes or Chatinos.
“And I continue to believe that it’s important to respect all people, no matter where they come from, and Benito Juárez is an excellent example to our youth today,” Arámbula said.
Juárez’s famous phrase is written at the foot of the Fresno statue. It reads, “Entre las naciones como entre los individuos, el respeto al derecho ajeno es la paz” (“Between nations, as between individuals, respect for another’s rights will result in peace.”)
Jesús Martínez, a former Fresno State University professor who was present at the unveiling of the statue more than 20 years ago, said Oaxacan immigrants play an important role in Fresno and the Central Valley.
Martínez said Juárez is considered the greatest and most popular Mexican president of all time and having the statue of the “Benemérito de las Américas” in Fresno is “a very inspiring symbol.”
“This is a symbol of the belonging of Oaxacan immigrants here in the Central Valley and in Fresno,” Martínez said. He noted that when the French invaded México, Juárez was forced to flee the country, first to Cuba then to the United States, living in New Orleans where he organized with other Mexican leaders to fight back against the French.
Martínez said during that period, Juárez was able to establish cordial bilateral relations between México and the United States and serves as a historical point to help historians analyze “the difficulties that we may be finding nowadays or in recent periods. The fact that Benito Juárez, himself, was someone who had to flee and became a political refugee further adds to the dimensions of his presence and his relation with the U.S.”
The Mexican Consulate and the Centro Binacional highlighted the legacy of Juárez during two separate ceremonies at Courthouse Park earlier this month. The ceremonies commemorated the 219th anniversary of the birth of Juárez.
“In the US there are more or less 10 statues of Juárez, and we are very fortunate to be among those places,” said Nuria Zúñiga, Fresno’s head consul.
“On a personal level, Juárez is also a role model for public servants,” Zúñiga said. “He was honest, austere and with an unquestionable vocation of service. Benito Juárez also represents something that under the circumstances, we need to reflect on: temperance during adversity.”
This story was originally published March 29, 2025 at 11:00 AM with the headline "Why is there a statue of the first indigenous president of Mexico in Fresno?."
