Mexico and Spain Move Towards Diplomatic Reconciliation with Historic Acknowledgment

Mexico and Spain are taking promising steps toward diplomatic reconciliation after nearly seven years of strained relations rooted in historical grievances dating back to the Conquest. The key development came when Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares publicly acknowledged the “pain and injustice” inflicted on indigenous peoples of the Americas during the Spanish Conquest, marking the first time a high-ranking Spanish official has openly lamented these injustices. This acknowledgment is widely seen as a critical symbolic and political gesture in mending ties between the two countries.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum welcomed Albares’ statement as an important “first step” but emphasized that Spain must still issue a formal apology. Sheinbaum, continuing the demand initiated by former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, called for recognition not as humiliation but as a necessary act for forgiveness and restoring a shared history. She stressed that the narrative of the Conquest as a civilizing mission is inaccurate, describing it instead as a violent invasion that resulted in massacres and cultural destruction.

Despite years of tension—including a distancing after Sheinbaum’s decision not to invite King Felipe VI to her inauguration—both nations have maintained diplomatic ties, with growing cultural exchanges providing a positive bridge. Spain recently awarded two Princess of Asturias prizes to Mexican recipients, and Mexico loaned over 400 pre-Hispanic artifacts for exhibitions in Madrid. Highlighting these cultural ties, the Mexican Ministry of Culture has pushed initiatives marking the Year of the Indigenous Woman, celebrating indigenous heritage and history.

Sheinbaum praised Spain’s historic acknowledgment during the launch of an exhibition about indigenous Mexican women in Madrid, reiterating that forgiveness “ennobles governments and peoples.” The new openness announced by Albares could signal the beginning of a deeper dialogue leading to reconciliation and healing centuries-old wounds.

This delicate diplomatic thaw reflects a renewed commitment on both sides to honestly confront their shared and painful history while nurturing cultural and economic relations that remain strong. Sheinbaum’s remarks underscore ongoing expectations that Spain will complete this process with a formal apology to indigenous communities affected by the colonial conquest.