King Felipe VI of Spain has seemingly eased strained relations with Mexico by admitting to past abuses during the country’s conquest. While this gesture may foster reconciliation, it has also reignited a long-standing and contentious debate surrounding Spain’s colonization of the Americas.
A Complex Legacy of Arrival
The arrival of Spaniards in the Americas, beginning in the late 15th century, brought with it Christianity and the Spanish language, forever altering the continent’s cultural landscape. However, this period also resulted in the deaths of countless indigenous people, attributed to both military actions and the introduction of new diseases.
During a visit to an exhibition at Madrid’s National Archaeological Museum focusing on indigenous women, King Felipe VI spoke of the significant “abuse” that occurred during the conquest of what would become Mexico. He noted that certain aspects of this history, when examined through contemporary ethical standards and values, do not inspire pride.
These informal remarks were made in the presence of Mexico’s ambassador to Spain, Quirino Ordaz. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum welcomed the king’s statements, viewing them as a crucial step in addressing an issue that has previously created diplomatic tension between the two nations.
Reconciliation and Lingering Grievances
President Sheinbaum described the king’s acknowledgment as a positive, albeit incomplete, gesture of reconciliation. She characterized it as an admission of the excesses and exterminations that took place during the Spanish arrival.
The year 2021 marked the 500th anniversary of the fall of Tenochtitlán, the former capital of the Aztec empire, which is now Mexico City. This event was orchestrated by Hernán Cortés and his relatively small Spanish force. The conquistadors subsequently carried out further massacres of indigenous populations across the continent.
Previously, in 2019, then-Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador had formally requested an apology from Spain for human rights violations committed during the conquest and colonization. This request remained unaddressed by the Spanish government.
In 2024, President Sheinbaum opted not to invite King Felipe VI to her inauguration, citing the lack of a response to López Obrador’s earlier demand. However, in October of the previous year, Sheinbaum had acknowledged positive comments from Spain’s Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, who referred to “pain and injustice” within the shared history of the two countries.
Spain’s Evolving Stance on Colonial Past
While Spain has not undertaken the extensive re-evaluation of its colonial past seen in some other nations, it did enact a law in 2015 granting nationality to descendants of Jews who were expelled from Spain during the Inquisition in the 15th century.
King Felipe VI’s public acknowledgment of abuses during Spain’s colonial era represents a historic first for a Spanish monarch. These comments were disseminated through a video released by the Royal Household on social media.
President Sheinbaum suggested that these remarks should pave the way for further dialogue on the matter, though the specific format or direction of such discussions remains unclear.
Divergent Political Reactions
Elma Saiz, a minister within the Socialist-led Spanish government, stated that the administration fully supports King Felipe VI’s sentiments. However, Spain’s conservative political right, which has historically opposed reappraisals of the country’s New World conquest and colonization, expressed less enthusiasm for the king’s pronouncements.
Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of the conservative People’s Party (PP), cautioned against examining historical events apart from their original context. He described the scrutiny of 15th-century events by 21st-century standards as irrational. Feijóo asserted pride in Spain’s historical legacy in the Americas, arguing that the Spanish arrival fostered an exceptional linguistic and cultural community and that any actions during the conquest were comparable to those of other empires of that era.
Minister Saiz countered that Feijóo’s position aligned him with the radical right and that he was effectively denying history. The far-right Vox party offered a starkly contrasting view, characterizing the conquest as “the greatest work of evangelization and civilization in universal history.” Vox MEP Hermann Tertsch directly addressed King Felipe, expressing surprise that the monarch’s views aligned with those “who only seek to damage and discredit Spanish history.”