Christ of Havana

The statue was built from 67 blocks of marble that had been brought from Italy after being personally blessed by Pope Pius XII.

The sculpture, located in the Havana suburb of Casablanca, in the municipality of Regla, was inaugurated on La Cabaña hill on December 24, 1958.

Just fifteen days after its inauguration, on January 8, 1959, Fidel Castro entered Havana during the Cuban Revolution.

Locals say that the statue is intended to depict Christ holding an imaginary cigar in the right hand, and a mojito in his left, honoring popular Cuban culture.

Madera has said that the statue's facial features are intended to reflect the racial diversity of Cuba, and that its shoes were modelled on the flip-flops she wore while working in Italy.