Spain: king admits abuses during Spanish conquest
During a visit to an exhibition in Madrid on the role of women in indigenous Mexico, King Felipe VI acknowledged that "a great deal of abuse" had been committed during the Spanish conquest of the Americas. The remark was made during a conversation with the Mexican ambassador, Quirino Ordaz. Commentators discuss whether the move was appropriate and whether an official apology might follow.
Testing the waters
Writer Isaac Rosa calls for an official gesture from the king in eldiario.es:
“This is not a historical debate but a political one. It concerns both Spain's relations with Mexico and Spanish domestic politics. Spain could publicly make the same public gesture of reconciliation that so many countries have already made toward their former colonies, without those nations feeling humiliated - on the contrary, it has led to better relations. ... But this should be done sincerely and formally, not in passing, with the king pretending he hadn't noticed the microphone. ... In 2026, the Spanish national-Catholic resistance to any engagement with the past is absolute. That is why the king spoke of it only in passing, as if testing the waters to see what response he gets.”
Recognise the suffering of indigenous peoples
El País sees the possibility of improved Spanish-Mexican relations:
“King Felipe VI's words represent a relevant step in a historically strained dialogue between Spain and Mexico. … President Claudia Sheinbaum has welcomed the gesture. So there is room for progress. … This is not, however, the end of the road. The complex relationship between Spain and Mexico, forged over centuries, demands more than occasional statements. … Clear apologies and recognition of the suffering of the indigenous population under both Spanish and Mexican rule are important.”
The colonialists brought many benefits
El Mundo columnist Federico Jiménez Losantos is unimpressed by the king's admission:
“There wasn't 'a great deal of abuse' on Spain's part during the conquest of Mexico. The first thing it did was put an end to the abuses committed by the Aztecs, who sacrificed thousands of people from neighbouring tribes every year. ... The Spanish brought churches, hospitals, universities, libraries, printing presses, navigation, architecture, engineering, language and religion to the Americas - the best of European civilisation. And the best of modern-day Mexico.”