The Monarch has spoken these words three days after the inauguration of Claudia Sheinbaum, the new president of Mexico. In the power transfer meeting, there was no official representation from Spain, as Sheinbaum prohibited the presence of the Head of State, and the Government decided not to send any representative. In fact, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, reiterated on Friday that "if the Head of State is not invited, Spain is not invited."
Up to that point, the Head of State had been present at 86 inaugurations. He began attending these events as the Prince of Asturias at the request of his father. And when he assumed the Crown, he continued to do so. In his Proclamation speech, as he recalled on Friday in Trujillo, he had Latin America in mind, with words that, as he stated, "remain relevant" a decade later.
"We are united with the Ibero-American countries by a history and very intense bonds of affection and brotherhood. In recent decades, we are also united by growing economic ties and increasingly closer views on global issues. But above all, we are united by our shared language and culture. An immensely valuable asset that we must promote with determination and generosity," said Don Felipe back then.
This Friday, in Trujillo, the Monarch stated that the relationship between Ibero-Americans "is so deep that it allows us, even, to speak frankly about our inevitable disagreements, which, after all, arise from so many centuries of shared history but always with respect based on friendship."
Claudia Sheinbaum stated in a letter posted on her social media that the reason she did not invite Felipe VI to her inauguration was due to what she considered an offense that occurred in 2019. Back then, Andrés Manuel López Obrador sent a letter to the Monarch demanding an apology from the Crown for the years of the viceroyalty. Apologies to which Don Felipe did not respond, as he cannot do so constitutionally. However, Spanish political voices, such as that of Irene Montero, have joined this request, and recently the MEP called from Mexico for the Monarch to apologize.
"The focus of our relationship should be directed towards the present," Felipe VI expressed in his speech, "in order to prepare or build an even better future, with greater shared benefits, greater opportunities... That is why the essential thing is to gain momentum in what unites us, in our affinities, to ultimately achieve pragmatic, useful, and balanced responses. Responses that reach everyone," he concluded.