Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum has denied any "diplomatic crisis" with Spain after years of tensions over demands for an apology for Mexico's colonial occupation. She stressed that it is important to recognize the strength of the country's indigenous peoples and stressed that relations between the two countries have never had a real crisis.
Sheinbaum made the comments at a summit of left-wing leaders in Barcelona, quashing speculation about a deterioration in relations between the two countries.
Demands for an apology for human rights abuses during Spain's occupation of Mexico have become a hot diplomatic topic, leading to visible tensions between the two nations.
She also hosted a meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who did not comment on the state of relations between his countries and Mexico.
Relations between Spain and Mexico deteriorated in 2019 when former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador demanded that Spain apologize for violations that occurred during the period of the conquest of Mexico in the 16th century.
At the time, Lopez Obrador called it necessary to apologize for the destruction of the Aztec empire and the killing of thousands of people. Sheinbaum decided not to invite King Felipe VI of Spain to her inauguration as president in 2024, leading to diplomatic retaliation from Spain.
Recently, there have been signs that relations between the two countries have begun to improve. King Felipe VI publicly acknowledged for the first time the abuses that occurred during the Spanish occupation, expressing regret for the violations and “abuses” committed against Mexico’s indigenous peoples.
During a visit to Madrid, he called what happened during colonialism inimical to modern values, opening the door to a possible deeper dialogue.
The demand for an apology from Spain has become a sensitive issue following the Spanish conquest of Mexico in the 16th century, a period that has left deep scars in history.
Diplomatic tensions have also erupted over decisions such as the refusal to send Spanish representatives to important events, such as Sheinbaum's inauguration, and the varying reactions from Spanish authorities.
