### Spanish Government Deems Absence of Royal Invitation Unacceptable
On September 24, 2024, the Spanish government issued a statement describing the decision by Mexico’s incoming administration to not invite King Felipe VI to the inauguration of elected President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo as unacceptable. The official ceremony is scheduled to take place on October 1 in Mexico City.
Due to this diplomatic snub, Spain has announced that it will not participate in the inauguration ceremony at any level, a position confirmed by the current administration led by Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón.
This diplomatic tension is not new. On March 21, 2024, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador openly discussed his strained relationship with King Felipe VI. During a question-and-answer session in Oaxaca, López Obrador cited historical grievances and instances of favoritism towards Spanish companies during previous Mexican administrations as reasons for the frosty relationship.
The Mexican President specifically mentioned companies like Repsol and Iberdrola, which he claimed received preferential treatment under former presidents Felipe Calderón and Enrique Peña Nieto. López Obrador argued that such favoritism led to lucrative contracts and, in Calderón’s case, subsequent employment with Repsol’s Board of Directors post-presidency.
López Obrador also reiterated past requests for an apology from Spain for historical injustices committed during the colonial era. He emphasized that while diplomatic relations are not entirely severed, the current administration is committed to a new era of mutual respect and fairness, devoid of corruption and political favor.
### Additional Developments on Spain-Mexico Diplomatic Relations
#### Mexico’s Relations with Spain through Recent Years
The relationship between Mexico and Spain has seen several notable moments of tension. In February 2022, López Obrador clarified that while Mexico was not seeking a complete break with Spain, it did intend to pause its relations to reset and address issues of past exploitation by Spanish companies.
Again in 2021, López Obrador expressed disappointment that his letter to King Felipe VI, requesting an official apology for the conquest and colonization of Mexico, went unanswered. He criticized Spanish intellectuals and media for what he perceived as arrogance and lack of humility in addressing historical grievances.
The tension escalated further when López Obrador criticized Iberdrola for its monopolistic control over Mexico’s electricity market and employment of former President Calderón. This was cited as a key example of corporate exploitation that would no longer be tolerated under his administration.
Despite these tensions, King Felipe VI has spoken about the importance of the shared history between Spain and Latin American countries and has emphasized Spain’s commitment to contributing to the development and well-being of these nations.
As these diplomatic challenges continue to unfold, the focus remains on whether both nations can find a path towards reconciliation and renewed cooperation built on mutual respect and historical acknowledgment.