President Claudia Sheinbaum met with Spain’s King Felipe VI at the National Palace on Thursday night, marking a new step in the rapprochement between the two nations and opening the door to future cooperation.
The meeting took place in the shadow of diminishing diplomatic tensions stemming from the Mexican government’s 2019 request for an apology from the Spanish Crown for perceived wrongs committed during Spain’s 16th century conquest of the Aztec Empire.
El Rey ha mantenido un encuentro con la presidenta de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos, Claudia Sheinbaum, en el Palacio Nacional de México.
Al día siguiente, asistirá al partido de la “Copa Mundial de la FIFA 2026” entre Uruguay y España celebrado en el estadio de Guadalajara. pic.twitter.com/NOpjizrnID
— Casa de S.M. el Rey (@CasaReal) June 26, 2026
Shenbaum spoke passionately about the importance of Indigenous people to Mexican national identity, and the two leaders also discussed bilateral trade, the economy, geopolitics and the defense of the Charter of the United Nations.
Sheinbaum appeared most pleased that King Felipe listened intently to her comments about Mexico’s Indigenous roots.
“I underscored that 28 million Mexicans still identify as Indigenous, the 69 languages spoken in Mexico, and how the recognition of the great civilizations, the great cultures, the cultural grandeur of Mexico prior to the arrival of the Spanish is linked to present-day Mexico,” she stated.
After listening to Sheinbaum, the monarch expressed interest in collaborating on this issue at the Ibero-American Summit in November, telling the president that one of the working groups will be dedicated to Indigenous peoples.
AMLO asks Spain to apologize for the conquest: Spain says definitely not
Cultural exchanges were also on the agenda, and Mexico agreed to promote three exhibitions in Spain in the coming months, covering the exiles of the Spanish Republic in Mexico, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz and Maya culture.
Mexico’s Foreign Ministry said “Mexico and Spain continue to strengthen their diplomatic ties for the benefit of the relationship and the well-being of their people.”
In a series of messages on social media, the Royal Household said the visit took place “in a context of intensified bilateral relations,” while Spain’s Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, posted that the meeting occurred at “an extraordinary moment in our relations.”
Albares added that both countries share “a firm commitment to democracy, international law and multilateralism.” He also touted “the excellent and intense fraternal relations,” based upon “deep cultural, historical, economic and, above all, human ties” and said Mexico and Spain are “strengthening brotherhood, friendship, and cooperation.”
En Palacio Nacional, tuvimos una cordial reunión con el rey de España, Felipe VI. Conversamos sobre la importancia de los pueblos originarios a lo largo de la historia y de los vínculos entre México y España.
Coincidimos en fortalecer la relación bilateral en beneficio de… pic.twitter.com/SUDTere1SG
— Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo (@Claudiashein) June 26, 2026
King Felipe made his visit to the National Palace while in Mexico to attend the Spain-Uruguay World Cup match Friday night in Guadalajara.
During her Friday morning press conference, Sheinbaum described the visit with the king as “very cordial,” describing Felipe as “a very down-to-earth person.”
She also said the meeting was made possible by the king’s prior gesture of acknowledging the abuses committed during the conquest.
With reports from El Financiero, El País, EFE and Deutsche Welle
