Sheinbaum travels to Barcelona to join progressive summit and mend ties with Spain

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum told reporters in Barcelona on Saturday, April 18, 2026 that “there is no diplomatic crisis, there never has been,” seeking to close a chapter of tension with Spain that began when her predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, demanded a formal apology for abuses committed during the conquest more than 500 years ago. She emphasized that “what is very important is to recognize the strength of the original peoples for our homeland,” framing the relationship around Indigenous empowerment rather than reparations. Her remarks came during her first European trip since taking office, signaling a new stage in Mexico‑Spain ties after recent conciliatory gestures from Madrid. The statement came as Sheinbaum attended the fourth edition of the “Cumbre en Defensa de la Democracia” (Defense of Democracy Summit), convened by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and bringing together roughly twenty leftist leaders. The diplomatic rift originated in a letter from López Obrador to King Felipe VI demanding a public apology for the conquest; in recent weeks the monarch acknowledged that “much abuse” occurred and that some actions “cannot make us proud today,” while Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares publicly recognized the “pain and injustice” suffered by native peoples. Sheinbaum met with Sánchez on the sidelines of the summit, which also featured bilateral talks with leaders including Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Colombia’s Gustavo Petro, Uruguay’s Yamandú Orsi and South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa. The summit, held at the Fira de Barcelona, gathered a broad array of progressive governments and multilateral figures—including Irish President Catherine Connolly, Austrian Vice‑Chancellor Andreas Babler and European Council President António Costa—to discuss cooperation against authoritarian right‑wing alliances and to promote multilateral peace efforts. Participants highlighted the importance of confronting the “militarization escalation” and of building a joint response to rising populism. Sheinbaum’s appearance underscored Mexico’s commitment to defending democracy abroad while turning the page on the bilateral dispute over historical wrongs.