Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that next week, on April 18, she will travel to Barcelona. This visit comes after Mexico and Spain have recently shown signs of easing bilateral tensions following tensions caused by the Mexican government's request for the Spanish Crown to apologize for the abuses of the conquest, with calls to deepen historical and political dialogue between the two nations. The Mexican head of state stated that the meeting was an 'original idea' from former Chilean President Gabriel Boric (2022-2026), and revealed that the leaders of Colombia, Brazil, Spain, and Uruguay's Yamandú Orsi will be present. 'I was invited and yesterday I decided that yes, we were going, so on the 18th (of April). Actually, we go one day and come back the other to be able to be in Barcelona on the 18th,' she specified. This will be the first time Sheinbaum has visited Spain as president of Mexico since taking office in October 2024. The head of state has on several occasions defended the request for an apology, promoted since 2019 by then-President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (2018-2024), recalling Mexico's tradition of solidarity with Spain, especially during the Republic and the exile caused by Francoism. Due to Madrid's lack of response, Sheinbaum did not invite King Felipe VI to her inauguration in 2024, which caused the Spanish government not to send any representative to the event in an unprecedented move and generated a diplomatic crisis between the two countries. Last month, King Felipe VI acknowledged that there was 'a lot of abuse' in the conquest of America, which Sheinbaum valued as a 'gesture of approach' from the Spanish head of state, although she added that 'we must continue working' on the process of historical recognition. Similarly, the Mexican president has invited the Spanish monarch to attend the World Cup, which will be held in Mexico, the United States, and Canada from June 11 to July 19. Grupo Modelo will give away 500 World Cup tickets. Grupo Modelo president Daniel Cocenzo announced that the company will give away 500 FIFA World Cup 2026 tickets to those who actively participate in tournaments of the World Social contest, promoted by the federal government. In this context, the businessman added that the tickets will be for World Cup matches held within Mexico, i.e., in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey. He also pointed out that only adults who participated in the World Social contest will be able to participate. In turn, Claudia Sheinbaum added that an agreement was reached with Grupo Modelo for the donated tickets to be given to the winners of the World Social. 'We are going to do something very transparent so that people know who won, in which tournament, and that they can participate.' She also mentioned that in this participation, senior citizens who signed up for the 'World Cupito Soccer without running' promoted by the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) are also included. Congratulations to Katia Itzel for being assigned as a referee for the 2026 World Cup. On the other hand, Sheinbaum Pardo congratulated Mexican referee Katia Itzel García, designated on Thursday by FIFA as one of the referees who will participate in the 2026 World Cup, and highlighted the boost her government seeks to give to the participation of women in refereeing and in sports in general. 'Many congratulations, (Katia) is a woman who is not only an extraordinary referee, but also a very complete woman in every way,' the head of state expressed during her morning press conference. The Mexican leader's reaction comes after on Thursday FIFA officially named Katia García as part of the list of referees designated as main, assistant, and video for the 2026 World Cup, which will be held from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. You might be interested> World Cup 2026: Katia García and César Ramos among the 52 main referees | List Katia Itzel García will be the first Mexican woman to referee a central match in a men's World Cup, and will be, along with César Arturo Ramos Palazuelos, the two Mexican representatives who will participate in the world arbitration event that will begin next June. 'Many congratulations to Katia, she was already here if you remember because she is part of the jury of the young women who will participate to get the 001 ticket and represent Mexico at the opening,' she pointed out. Regarding the three Fan Fests that will be organized in Mexico, Gabriela Cuevas Barrón, coordinator of the Federal Government's Works for the 2026 World Cup, assured that they will be free of charge. She added that the three venues will be: the Zócalo in Mexico City; in the Parque Fundidora in Monterrey, Nuevo León; and in the Plaza Liberación, in Guadalajara, Jalisco. Sheinbaum speculates on possible cause of fire in Dos Bocas refinery. Regarding the fire in the coke warehouse at the Olmeca refinery in Dos Bocas, the federal head of state speculated on the possible cause that could have provoked it. 'Yesterday the cause was still to be determined, probably it is the temperature at which the coke comes out. The morning conference begins... President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo led this Friday's presidential conference from the National Palace, where she answered media questions and presented relevant national information. Sheinbaum announces she will travel to Spain next week Claudia Sheinbaum announced this Friday that on April 18 she will travel to Barcelona to attend a meeting of progressive governments, to which the presidents of Colombia, Gustavo Petro; Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and the host, Pedro Sánchez, president of the Government of Spain, will also attend. 'I am going to Barcelona. (With information from EFE) The Dos Bocas plant produces a lot of coke, which is the final product of refining,' she pointed out. Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) confirmed last Thursday that a fire broke out at the Olmeca refinery in Dos Bocas.
