Complex sentence: The constructors decided to make the statue as large as possible to try to dissuade the government from dismantling it: the government would either have to destroy the statue--an action which would potentially fuel further criticism of its policies--or leave it standing.
Split into simpler sentences: The constructors decided to make the statue as large as possible so the government would be unable to dismantle it. The government would either have to destroy the statue--an action which would potentially fuel further criticism of its policies--or leave it standing.