This is how AMLO’s distancing from Spain began
The reasons that led to the distancing between the governments of Mexico and Spain, which was declared by Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), have historical implications, but also economic ones that evoke the participation of companies from the European country in the national territory.
It was in February 2022 when the Mexican president publicly declared a pause in relations between the two countries. At that time, the decision was supported by the differences with Spanish companies in energy matters that during previous six-year terms, according to López Obrador, enjoyed privileges that they sought to maintain despite the implementation of his reform in the sector.
“I would like us to take a while to normalize things so that we can take a break, which I think will be good for us Mexicans and Spaniards, and certainly for the people of Mexico and the people of Spain, to take a break from our relations, because it was collusion at the top, an economic-political promiscuity at the top of the governments of Mexico and Spain, but for three consecutive six-year terms, and Mexico was the worst off, they were looting it,” he said.
Despite this, Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s (AMLO) discontent was also motivated by the Spanish government’s refusal to respond to his request to publicly apologize to Mexico for the abuses committed during the Conquest. In fact, the request was made through a letter sent to the King of Spain in 2019.
“Currently, the State that I preside over does not ask for compensation for the pecuniary damages caused by Spain, nor does it have the intention of proceeding legally against them; On the other hand, Mexico wants the Spanish State to admit its historical responsibility for these offenses and offer the appropriate apologies or political compensation. For this reason, Your Majesty, the current Mexican authorities are preparing a list of crimes that they will present to the Kingdom of Spain before the end of the current year,” was part of the text written in the letter signed by Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO).
In response at that time, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain, José Manuel Albares, declared that the government of his country “strongly rejects the unjustified statements of the President of Mexico in recent days where he has spoken again about Spain and Spanish companies (…) the government of Spain will always and before anyone defend the interests of the Spanish people, their companies and the honorability of Spain.”
Days later, the Mexican president qualified his statements and assured that the pause in relations that he declared was due to a fraternal protest and did not speak of a break. Despite this, the distancing continued during the last two years of his federal administration and, apparently, will be inherited by the administration of Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo.
Source: infobae