Trending Now - Spanish King Recognizes Abuses During Mexico's Conquest

WHO:

King Felipe VI of Spain

Quirino Ordaz, Mexico’s ambassador to Spain

Former Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez

Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares

WHAT:

King Felipe VI acknowledged that the Spanish conquest of the Americas involved “much abuse” and “ethical controversies.”

Felipe stated, “There are things that, when we study them, we come to know them, and well, with our current values, they obviously cannot make us feel proud.”

The Spanish conquest of Mexico occurred between 1519 and 1521, resulting in the death of a large part of the pre-Hispanic population.

Felipe’s comments do not constitute a formal apology from Spain’s royal palace.

WHERE:

Madrid, Spain

Mexico City, which was built over the ruins of the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan.

WHEN:

The remarks were made on March 16th, 2026, during a visit to a museum exhibition.

The Spanish conquest of Mexico took place from 1519 to 1521.

In 2019, Andrés Manuel López Obrador demanded an apology from Spain.

In 2024, Claudia Sheinbaum did not invite Felipe to her inauguration.

WHY:

The remarks were made amid a yearslong diplomatic spat between Spain and Mexico over colonial era abuses.

Mexico’s government has demanded an apology for the abuses committed during the conquest.

HOW:

King Felipe made his remarks during a conversation with Mexico’s ambassador at a museum exhibition about the role of women in pre-Columbian Mexico.

Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares previously acknowledged the “pain and injustice” suffered by Mexico’s Indigenous population.

(UPDATED March 18, 2026 01:32 UTC)

During a visit to a museum exhibition in Madrid on March 16, King Felipe VI of Spain acknowledged the "much abuse" and "ethical controversies" surrounding the Spanish conquest of the Americas, stating that such actions cannot make us feel proud by today's values. His comments, made in the presence of Mexico's ambassador and other dignitaries, come amid a long-standing diplomatic dispute between Spain and Mexico, where the Mexican government has sought an apology for the abuses committed during the conquest from 1519 to 1521. While Felipe's remarks reflect a recognition of historical injustices, they do not constitute a formal apology from the Spanish royal palace.