Mexican president-elect excludes Spanish king from swearing-in ceremony
Date
9/29/2024 3:12:25 AM
(MENAFN) Mexican president-elect Claudia Sheinbaum has sparked outrage in Spain by excluding King Felipe VI from her swearing-in ceremony, citing his failure to acknowledge the historical damage caused by Spain's conquest of Mexico over 500 years ago. In response, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez deemed the decision "inexplicable" and "totally unacceptable," leading Spain to boycott the event.
This incident follows a 2019 letter from outgoing President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to the king, requesting a public acknowledgment of the harm inflicted during the 1519-1521 conquest, which decimated much of Mexico's pre-Hispanic population. Sheinbaum expressed disappointment that the letter went unanswered, highlighting a lack of proper bilateral relations.
The Spanish foreign ministry confirmed that it would not send any representatives to the inauguration, reinforcing Sanchez's statement that Spain and Mexico are "brotherly peoples" and that exclusion is unacceptable.
Mexico published the guest list a week ago for the inauguration of Sheinbaum, who will be the country's first woman president following her left-wing ruling party's landslide victory in June. Notably absent from the list was King Felipe VI, while regional leftist leaders and US First Lady Jill Biden were included. The Spanish foreign ministry confirmed that it would not send any representatives to the inauguration, reinforcing Sanchez's statement that Spain and Mexico are "brotherly peoples" and that exclusion is unacceptable.
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