Alana Casanova-Burgess

And there was a disconnect between the way the government and the press were handling the story and the anger and mockery that we were seeing online.

There were Valentine's Day cards, like, you knock me over like Ponce de Leon, and jokes about the statue being too high to get up off the floor at a party, asking someone to get him a sandwich.

People were playing with the idea of honoring other, more deserving figures instead, photoshopping boricuas like Iris Chacon and Bad Bunny up on Ponce de Leon's old spot.

Because the thing is, in Puerto Rico, there's no shortage of people who deserve to be honored on a pedestal.

If you ask around Old San Juan, or even in that same square, Plaza San Jose, you'll hear so many better options than Juan Ponce de Leon.

Any other person, honestly.

But yeah, I just won't like to see him.

Baseball players, musicians, poets.

Boxers, independence activists, Ricky Martin.

Ramon Emeterio Betance.

Mariana Brassetti.

Those are just the persons that pop up.

I'd say a person like Ricky Martin.

What better example to represent us?

I heard creative responses.

Ideas for things that aren't even human.

Like a tree or a goddess.

I heard enthusiasm to the point of yelling.

And I heard the names of tons of talented and distinguished boricuas.

Icons who inspire so much devotion.