King Felipe handed invite to FIFA World Cup by Mexican president after recognising ‘abuses’ during Spanish colonial conquest

MEXICAN president Claudia Sheinbaum invites King Felipe VI for the World Cup to Mexico. 

The president made the offer on February 3, but it was only made public after the King acknowledged that there was ‘ethical controversy and abuse’ during the Spanish conquest of America. 

The Spanish royal household has posted Felipe’s words on the internet. 

It was the first time a Spanish monarch publicly acknowledged abuses committed during Spain’s colonial period.

READ MORE: Spain’s King Felipe admits ‘great deal of abuse’ took place during colonial conquest of Mexico – but falls short of full apology

In her letter to the king, Sheinbaum wrote that the event would be ‘a propitious opportunity to evoke the depth and unique character of the ties between Mexico and Spain’, the Casa Real said. 

The Spanish colonisation in the Americas is a topic that has been controversial for many years. 

Sheinbaum’s former, Andres Manual Lopez Obrador demanded an apology from Spain in 2019 for violations of human rights during Spain’s conquest. 

Sheinbaum decided not to invite the King to her 2024 inauguration due to the unanswered question. 

It has now emerged that, prior to the King’s informal comments, Sheinbaum had offered to repair the ties between Mexico and Spain that had been strained by the issue as the ties were ‘forged through a historical brotherhood and supported by the shared legacy of language, culture and collective memory’

The palace has ‘welcomed’ the invitation, but it’s not clear whether Felipe has agreed to attend the event that will be held from June 11 to July 19 in Mexico, Canada and the United States. 

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