Spain's King Felipe VI admitted there was “much abuse” during the conquest of America and urged placing these events in their historical context. He made the statements in Madrid while visiting an exhibition on indigenous Mexican women. He called for avoiding excessive moral presentism in favor of objective analysis.
King Felipe VI made these statements on Monday during an unofficial visit to the exhibition ‘La mujer en el México indígena’ at Madrid's National Archaeological Museum, alongside Mexico's ambassador, Quirino Ordaz Coppel. The remarks were posted on social media by Spain's Royal Household. The exhibition, organized by Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mexico's Secretariat of Culture, Spain's Ministry of Culture, the Cervantes Institute, and SEGIB, delves into the social context of indigenous women from pre-Hispanic times and runs until March 22. The king noted that examining historical events through today's standards “obviously cannot make us feel proud,” but stressed they must be understood “in their proper context, without excessive moral presentism, but with objective and rigorous analysis.” He referenced the Catholic Monarchs' directives, Queen Isabel's instructions, and the Laws of the Indies, aimed at protection but undermined in practice by “much abuse.” Felipe VI emphasized the value of such exhibitions for youth to appreciate ancient knowledge and the “mestizo culture” born from civilizational encounters. “From that knowledge, we will appreciate ourselves more,” he said. The comments come amid diplomatic strains. Former Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador requested an apology from Spain for the conquest via a letter that went unanswered. President Claudia Sheinbaum did not invite the king to her October 2024 inauguration, and Spain sent no representative in response.
