Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that diplomatic and trade relations with Spain have never been broken. She clarified that her predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, sent a letter to the King of Spain in 2018, after which bilateral ties continued. Sheinbaum emphasized that her upcoming trip to Barcelona on April 18th is not an official visit, and therefore she does not plan to meet with King Felipe VI. However, she acknowledged that in the last year, there has been 'a different approach' from the Spanish government and the king. The Mexican president said that the disagreements stem from the interpretation of the arrival of the Spanish in the country. She believes it was not a 'meeting of two worlds' but an act of violence, genocide of indigenous peoples, and looting. This is why her government will insist that 'the history of the conquest be told from the perspective of the original peoples.' Sheinbaum confirmed that in Barcelona, she will meet with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez within the framework of a summit of progressive leaders. This event will also be attended by the presidents of Colombia, Brazil, and Uruguay. Earlier, King Felipe VI of Spain acknowledged that there was 'a lot of abuse' during the conquest of America, which Sheinbaum called an important gesture, but added that 'work in this direction continues.'
