Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez resolved a years-long diplomatic dispute over Spain’s colonial legacy Saturday in Barcelona, with Sheinbaum telling reporters “There is no diplomatic crisis, there never was one” moments before shaking hands with Sánchez at an international pro-democracy summit.
The dispute highlighted tension between two nations over how Spain should reckon with its colonial history — a question affecting indigenous peoples whose descendants remain in Mexico.
The Breakthrough
Spain’s King Felipe VI opened a path to reconciliation in March 2026 when he publicly acknowledged that the conquest of the Americas had led to the “abuse” of native peoples—a significant step after years of Spain’s refusal to formally apologize for colonial actions. Mexico responded with a gesture of its own, inviting Felipe to attend a World Cup match this summer.
Seven Years of Tension
The diplomatic dispute had roots in 2019, when Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador wrote to the Spanish king and Pope Francis demanding that Spain “publicly and officially” recognize abuses committed during the conquest of Mexico. Spain’s refusal to issue a formal apology soured relations between the two governments.
By 2024, the dispute had escalated into a direct confrontation. Sheinbaum, newly inaugurated as Mexico’s president, did not invite Felipe to the ceremony—a significant departure from diplomatic tradition. Sánchez responded sharply, calling the non-invitation “unacceptable.” Spain retaliated by failing to send any representative to the inauguration, a breach of its own diplomatic norms.
Saturday’s Breakthrough
Sheinbaum and Sánchez met privately for nearly an hour at the International Meeting in Defense of Democracy, a gathering of representatives from 15 countries concerned with the rise of illiberalism. The discussion focused on broader diplomatic and economic cooperation.
“I spoke with president Sheinbaum about global affairs and the importance of advancing the relations between Mexico and the European Union,” Sánchez wrote on social media afterward. “We are in agreement in continuing to strengthen our special cultural, economic and social ties.”
Sánchez made no public mention of the colonial dispute that had driven the two nations apart, instead thanking Sheinbaum for offering to host the next edition of the pro-democracy summit in Mexico next year.