King Felipe VI of Spain and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum have moved to restore diplomatic ties between their countries after seven years of political tension, meeting Thursday at Mexico’s National Palace in a symbolic step toward renewed cooperation.
The brief encounter in Mexico City came as the Spanish monarch travelled to Mexico for his attendance at a football match between Spain and Uruguay in Guadalajara. The meeting marked the first public meeting between the two leaders and effectively closed a period of strained relations that began after a controversial 2019 letter from former Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador requesting recognition and an apology for abuses committed during the Spanish conquest.
The dispute had affected diplomatic exchanges between the two countries for years. Sheinbaum did not invite King Felipe VI to her 2024 inauguration, and no member of the Spanish royal family attended the Guadalajara International Book Fair the following year, despite Spain being the event’s guest country.
The latest meeting follows months of diplomatic efforts involving discussions, cultural events, exhibitions and awards aimed at improving relations. The two countries are now seeking to focus on their longstanding cultural and economic connections, which continued despite the political disagreements.
Mexican international relations specialist Pía Taracena said the meeting represented a different approach from the previous administration. She noted that Sheinbaum has maintained several foreign policy positions established by López Obrador, but that rebuilding ties with Spain represents a separate path.
The diplomatic dispute originated in 2019 when López Obrador sent a letter to King Felipe VI asking Spain to acknowledge abuses during the conquest and issue an apology. The letter was leaked, and the Spanish government rejected what it described as the demand.
Mexican historian Alfredo Ávila of the National Autonomous University of Mexico said the proposal had also included the possibility of creating a working group to examine the historical period and discuss apologies from both Spain and Mexico toward Indigenous peoples. He described the letter as a proposal that sought a broader review of the past.
Ávila said López Obrador’s focus on the conquest became part of a nationalist message during the first presidency of Donald Trump, when tensions existed between Mexico and the United States over issues including Trump’s proposed border wall. The historian said criticism of Spain carried fewer diplomatic costs because cultural, academic, economic and social relations between the two countries remained active.
The political context has now changed as Sheinbaum seeks to strengthen Mexico’s international partnerships. The meeting with the Spanish monarch comes amid tensions with the United States, including disputes over security issues, accusations involving Mexican officials and uncertainty surrounding future economic agreements.
The restoration of relations with Spain is part of a broader diplomatic effort by Sheinbaum’s government, which has also included engagement with the European Union, a meeting of progressive leaders in Barcelona and renewed contacts with the United Kingdom.
The encounter at the National Palace signals the end of a prolonged diplomatic pause between Spain and Mexico, with both governments moving toward renewed cooperation while maintaining their historical and economic links.
