Mexican President Sheinbaum Denies Diplomatic Crisis with Spain

Mexico City. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has clarified that there is no diplomatic crisis in relations with Spain. She made these remarks while attending the "In Defence of Democracy" conference for leftist leaders held in Barcelona. She stated, "There is no diplomatic crisis, and there never was. It is important to acknowledge the power of our country's indigenous peoples."

This conference took place shortly before a meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Sanchez. The conference discussed the growing challenges to liberalism. Spain's colonial expansion into Mexico in the 16th century has been a subject of controversy in recent years. Relations cooled particularly after former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador requested an apology from Spain in 2019 for human rights violations committed at that time.

During the Spanish colonial expansion, Spanish conquerors claimed thousands of lives during the conquest of the Aztec Empire, due to both war and disease. After receiving no response to the demand for an apology, Sheinbaum decided not to invite King Felipe VI of Spain to her inauguration ceremony in 2024. Subsequently, Spain did not send any representatives to the ceremony.

However, there have been signs of improving relations recently. King Felipe recently acknowledged that there were "many abuses" during the colonial period, a subject no Spanish monarch had previously spoken about openly. Similarly, Sheinbaum has invited the King to participate in the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026.

The tournament is being jointly hosted by Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Spain's Minister of Economy has called Sheinbaum's visit a "positive sign" for improving relations between the two countries. This visit is the first by a Mexican president to Spain in the last eight years. visit