Mexico’s Sheinbaum denies ‘diplomatic crisis’ with Spain after conquest row

President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico dismissed claims of a diplomatic rift with Spain during a summit in Barcelona, emphasizing that the two nations remain on good terms despite historical tensions. “There is no diplomatic crisis,” she stated, adding that “we always have recognized the resilience of Mexico’s indigenous communities.” Her remarks came as she prepared to meet Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who did not address the ongoing dispute during their encounter.

The issue of Spain’s colonial past has long simmered between the countries, with Sheinbaum’s predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, demanding an apology for human rights abuses during the 16th-century conquest of the Aztec Empire. Spanish conquistadors, driven by war and disease, decimated thousands of indigenous populations. When López Obrador’s request for an official acknowledgment went unmet, Sheinbaum chose not to invite Spain’s King Felipe VI to her inauguration in 2024, leading to a period of mutual silence.

Recent months have hinted at a warming of relations. In March, King Felipe VI acknowledged “abuse” during the conquest, noting that “with today’s standards, our history no longer inspires pride.” This marked the first time a Spanish monarch publicly admitted wrongdoing in the colonial era. Sheinbaum reciprocated by extending an invitation to Felipe VI for the upcoming Fifa World Cup, hosted jointly with the US and Canada, framing it as a chance to “highlight the enduring bond between Mexico and Spain.”

Meanwhile, the Barcelona summit, part of the In Defence of Democracy initiative, focused on combating extremism and illiberalism. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez warned of “attacks on the multilateral system” and “normalization of force,” while Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva criticized the UN Security Council’s role, calling its permanent members “lords of war.” Their meeting contrasted sharply with a far-right rally in Milan, where leaders of the Patriots for Europe party, including Jordan Bardella and Matteo Salvini, condemned EU regulations and immigration policies.

Bardella, representing the French Rassemblement National, highlighted the party’s focus on “increasing regulations” by Brussels institutions. Salvini called the group “the only true adversary” to EU bureaucrats, while Hungary’s outgoing leader Viktor Orbán, though a member of the Patriots coalition, did not attend the event. His party’s defeat in the recent general election by Péter Magyar signaled a shift in political alignment within the bloc.

“Democracy cannot be taken for granted,” Sánchez said at the summit. “We are witnessing attacks on the multilateral system, one attempt after another to challenge the rules of international law, and a dangerous normalisation of the use of force.”

“No president of any country in the world, however powerful, has the right to keep imposing rules on other countries,” Lula remarked.

Spain’s economy minister, quoted by Reuters, called Sheinbaum’s attendance “a positive sign of renewed ties,” underscoring the significance of her visit as the first by a Mexican leader in eight years.