Spain's King Acknowledges "Abuses" During Colonial Era to Thaw Diplomatic Relations with Mexico
King Felipe VI of Spain has taken a historic step believed to be capable of thawing frozen diplomatic relations with Mexico. For the first time, a Spanish monarch has publicly acknowledged abuses of power and violence committed by his nation during its conquest of the New World.
The statement was made by the King whilst visiting an exhibition dedicated to indigenous Mexican women at the National Archaeological Museum in Madrid. He stated that there were many “abuses” during the conquest of what is now Mexico.
“There are things that, when we study them with our current criteria, our current values, clearly cannot make us feel proud,” said King Felipe VI on Monday local time.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum welcomed the comments and regarded them as a major step forward. Relations between the two countries had previously been strained after Spain ignored a formal apology request submitted by Sheinbaum’s predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, in 2019.
Even in 2024, Sheinbaum took an unusual step by not inviting King Felipe to her inauguration because of this issue. However, responding to the King’s latest statement, Sheinbaum viewed it as goodwill.
“It could be said that this is not everything we wanted, but it is a move towards reconciliation from the king regarding what we have discussed: an acknowledgement of the excesses, the extermination that occurred during the arrival of the Spanish people,” said Sheinbaum.
Although receiving a warm reception in Mexico, King Felipe’s statement triggered heated debate across Spain’s political spectrum. The government led by the Socialist faction expressed full support for the monarch’s words. Minister Elma Saiz affirmed that the government “supports King Felipe VI’s words 100%.”
However, sharp criticism came from right-wing groups. Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of the conservative People’s Party (PP), argued that judging 15th-century events by 21st-century standards is “madness”. He instead expressed pride in Spain’s linguistic and cultural legacy in the Americas.
Meanwhile, the far-right party Vox went further, describing the conquest as “the greatest work of evangelisation and civilisation in universal history.” European Parliament member Hermann Tertsch expressed surprise that the king agreed with those he believed wanted to discredit Spanish history.
This tension is rooted in the fall of Tenochtitlán (now Mexico City) to Hernán Cortés in 1521. The arrival of the Spanish did indeed spread Christianity and the Spanish language, but also caused the deaths of thousands of indigenous people as a result of military action and disease outbreaks.
Now, King Felipe’s acknowledgement is hoped to open the door to deeper dialogue between the two nations to heal historical wounds that have persisted for centuries.