The deputy Ricardo Monrealcoordinator of Morena in San Lázaro, said this Wednesday that respect the position of the government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador and the president-elect, Claudia Sheinbaum, of not inviting King Felipe VI of Spain to the change of powers.
In a press conference, the legislator of the National Regeneration Movement (Morena) pointed out that his determination to support the exclusion of the Spanish monarch is due to the pause that the President imposed on the relations between Mexico and Spain.
“I am a republican, I respect the monarchy. The government of Spain is a government with a constitutional monarchy. Indeed, the king acts as head of state, and the head of government has shown solidarity with the king by not attending the doctor’s inauguration,” said Monreal, when asked if Sheinbaum’s decision could affect his foreign policy.
“We respect the government’s decision because there is a pause in relations with Spain, which the President imposed a few years ago. Let us all remember that, in the case of Mexico, the President of the Republic assumes a double role. President López Obrador is head of state and head of government at the same time and conducts international policy.”
Ricardo Monreal said that López Obrador decided to pause the case of Spain, due to a lack of response to a request for an apology from the Spanish kingdom, which was not made.
“I believe that things will be resolved. I am sure that once she (Sheinbaum) has the sash and is sworn in, she will meet again with everyone,” said the president of the Political Coordination Board of the Chamber of Deputies.
“Each one has his own style, but we are not going to separate ourselves from the ideology, from the principles of Morena, which were largely generated by the person who led this movement, which is President López Obrador. We will never separate ourselves from his ideology and his legacy.”
Claudia Sheinbaum excludes the King of Spain from her investiture
Mexican President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum has excluded King Felipe VI of Spain from her inauguration ceremony on October 1, 2024, due to his failure to respond to a request for an apology for “wrongs” committed during the Spanish Conquest in the 16th century.
In a statement issued by the president-elect, Sheinbaum explained that the exclusion of the monarch is due to the absence of a formal response from the Spanish crown to the letter that the outgoing president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, sent in 2019, in which he requested that Spain publicly recognize the abuses committed during the conquest.
The president-elect of Mexico even went further, considering that the Spanish Crown’s refusal to pardon and respond to the letter sent by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador is an insult, not only to the Mexican president, but to the people of Mexico.
In the letter, López Obrador proposed that a “joint ceremony” be held in which the kingdom of Spain would offer an apology for the damage caused to indigenous peoples during that historical period. However, Sheinbaum regretted that “the letter never received a direct or official response,” and noted that part of the document was leaked to the media without the Spanish government clarifying the situation.
Reaction of the Spanish government
On Tuesday, the Spanish government called the decision not to invite King Felipe VI to the presidential inauguration ceremony “unacceptable.” Pedro Sánchez, the president of the Spanish government, was the only representative of that country invited to the event. According to Sheinbaum, she had a telephone conversation with Sánchez in which they discussed this issue, but the details of the conversation were not revealed publicly.
The king’s exclusion has sparked reactions in both Spain and Mexico, given the historical and economic ties that unite both nations.
Spain and Mexico have maintained a close relationship over the years, although recent diplomatic friction during López Obrador’s six-year term has strained the relationship, especially due to the Mexican president’s repeated criticism of Spanish companies and their management of resources in the country.
Lopez Obrador’s position
At his morning press conference, López Obrador backed his successor’s decision, calling the lack of response to his 2019 letter an “act of arrogance.” The outgoing president expressed his discontent with the Spanish monarchy, reiterating that the lack of an official apology for historical grievances is a lack of respect for Mexico’s indigenous peoples.
“I fully support Claudia Sheinbaum’s decision,” said López Obrador, adding that the pacification of historical memory is a pending issue between the two countries. For the Mexican president, this recognition is fundamental for relations between Mexico and Spain, particularly with regard to the rights and recognition of indigenous communities.
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