Mexico and Spain's diplomatic relations strained after new president excludes king from inauguration

Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico's president-elect, has declined to invite King Felipe VI of Spain to her inauguration, citing the king's failure to respond to demands to atone for atrocities committed during the Spanish conquest of the Aztec empire 500 years ago. This decision is reportedly linked to a 2019 letter sent by Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to King Felipe and Pope Francis, in which he requested an apology for the historical events. King Felipe's government refused to apologize at the time, stating that they "profoundly rejected" the letter and its content. Sheinbaum has stated that she spoke with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez by phone to discuss the matter, but ultimately decided not to invite the king to her inauguration.