The curtain rises again
After years of a relationship at a standstill, almost frozen, presidents Claudia Sheinbaum and Pedro Sánchez decided that it was time. They agreed to reestablish dialogue between Mexico and Spain. It wasn’t a simple handshake. It was the first act of what could be a new work in bilateral relations.
What did they talk about? Of what hurts and what builds.
The Mexican president was clear: historical issues were on the table. The conquest. Recognition of indigenous peoples. And yes, the always thorny request for forgiveness promoted by his predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
“Recognition of the native peoples is maintained,” stated Sheinbaum when asked about the famous letter.
But there was an important nuance, a wink that did not go unnoticed by this journalist. Sheinbaum recognized a “approach” between both President Sánchez and King Felipe VI himself.
“The important thing is to continue dialogue,” he said. That phrase is quite a declaration of intentions. The page of the confrontation is turned to enter a stage of conversation.
Beyond history: energy and invitations
The script for this meeting was not just about the past. Sheinbaum extended a specific invitation: for Pedro Sánchez to visit Mexico next year, when the country hosts the meeting “In Defense of Democracy.”
They also agreed to continue sending exhibitions about Mexican cultures, both those prior to the conquest and contemporary ones. A cultural bridge to heal historical wounds.
And they talked about the future: renewable energies. A commercial and strategic issue where there is much to do together.
The president even mentioned her controversial proposal to allocate 10% of spending on weapons to promote peace. He linked it to the defense of Cuba’s sovereignty, showing that his geopolitical vision remains intact.
The most telling moment came when Sheinbaum detailed the conversation about forgiveness. It wasn’t a monologue. It was a historic argument.
“I told him about the letter from Charles V… that Charles V recognizes the abuses of Hernán Cortés, and to continue working on forgiveness.”
He used a 16th century document to support a 21st century petition. That’s not improvisation. It’s pure strategy.
What does it all mean? That after years of tension and diplomatic silence, both countries have decided that the cost of distancing is too high. Sheinbaum maintains the historical principles but changes the tone: from complaint to dialogue. Sánchez, for his part, seems willing to listen.
The stage is set. The main actors have taken the first step. Now we will see if this new work has more acts or remains a single function.
