Mexican president asks Spain to apologize for actions during conquest

[webfact]

Mexican president asks Spain to apologize for actions during conquest

 

Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador speaks to the media during a news conference to announce a plan to strengthen the finances of state oil firm Pemex, at the National Palace in Mexico City, Mexico February 15, 2019. REUTERS/Henry Romero/Files

 

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said on Monday he had asked the Spanish government and Pope Francis to apologize to indigenous Mexicans for wrongs committed during the Spanish conquest some 500 years ago.

 

Lopez Obrador said in a video shared on Facebook and Twitter he had written to Spain's King Felipe VI about the matter.

 

"I already sent a letter to the king of Spain and another letter to the Pope so that they ask forgiveness of indigenous peoples for violations of what are now known as human rights," he said.

 

Spain is one of Mexico's biggest sources of foreign direct investment. The Mexican government has yet to ratify a new free trade deal reached with the European Union in April 2018.

 

Speaking with his wife at an archaeological zone in the southeastern state of Tabasco, Lopez Obrador said the letter cited massacres that took place during the Spanish conquest at the beginning of the 16th century.

 

"The churches were built above the temples, our patriotic heroes were excommunicated," he said. "We are going to reconcile but first we ask for forgiveness."

 

Spain's foreign ministry did not respond immediately to a request for comment. The ministry published a statement rejecting the contents of Lopez Obrador's letter, according to domestic media. Reuters was not immediately able to obtain a copy of the statement.

 

"The arrival 500 years ago of the Spanish on present-day Mexican territory cannot be judged in light of contemporary considerations," the government said, according to Spanish media.

 

"The government of Spain reiterates its willingness to work together with the government of Mexico."

 

(Reporting by Lizbeth Diaz; Writing by Julia Love; Editing by Paul Tait)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-03-26

[Thunder26]

Seriously. people should get over it. It happened in the past, long time ago. Why don't you focus on solving present and future problems of Mexico?

[Pilotman]

Just now, Thunder26 said:

Seriously. people should get over it. It happened in the past, long time ago. Why don't you focus on solving present and future problems of Mexico?

yep, like that's their biggest problem right now. ????

[edwinchester]

You don't apologise for another's actions especially those that happened hundreds of years ago. You say they were wrong and condemn the barbarism but apologise, no way.

[WayneThompson]

Yeah you don't apologize for other people actions but like you say to someone who's mum just died or someone who just got diagnosed with cancer you can say "I'm sorry that happened to you".

There are people in colonised countries all around the world who are still living with the generational consequences of imperialism.
Compassion and shared understanding goes a long way.
2 things the Thai Visa forums are famous for lacking.

[tlandtday]

1 hour ago, Thunder26 said:

Seriously. people should get over it. It happened in the past, long time ago. Why don't you focus on solving present and future problems of Mexico?

And Mexico should apologize to it's treatment of its native Indian population.

[Lucius verus]

What's next? Tunisia demands an apology from Rome for the slaughter of Carthage in 146bc.?

Maybe India or Pakistan can sue Macedonia for the massacre by Alexander at Multan 4th century BC.

The possibilities are endless.

Never take blame for something you didn't do unless you want law suits flying at you from every direction.

 

[ThaiBunny]

2 minutes ago, Lucius verus said:

What's next? Tunisia demands an apology from Rome for the slaughter of Carthage in 146bc.?

Maybe India or Pakistan can sue Macedonia for the massacre by Alexander at Multan 4th century BC.

The possibilities are endless.

Never take blame for something you didn't do unless you want law suits flying at you from every direction.

My English forebears did it tough; first there was "the harrying of the North" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrying_of_the_North under William the Conqueror and then equivalent ethnic cleansing in Henry VIII's reign, called the Pilgrimage of Grace - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilgrimage_of_Grace.  How can I claim my rightful compensation?

[DoctorG]

I do not know if I am Angle, Norman, Frank, or Viking, so I guess I will sue everyone and in turn be counter-sued by them all.

[Odysseus123]

I presume that he will direct the same questions to the ghosts of Porfirio Diaz,Pancho Villa, Francisco Madero and  Victoriano Huerta...all those who betrayed the revolution for gold.

[klauskunkel]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Mexican president asks Spain to apologize for actions during conquest

Sorry, dude

[wombat]

so Spain asks the vatican for the treasures from Mexico it gave to the vatican so they can be returned to mexico...do i have that right ?

[wombat]

31 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said:

How can I claim my rightful compensation?

put in a claim form ?

[Tarteso]

Mexican President touch the ridiculous and it is a distortion of historical reallity, a manipulation and a political use of history.

 

There was an alliance of Cortes and his men, a few hundred, with the Tlaxcalteca, Otomi, or Xochimilca peoples,  subjugated  by the Mexica. They should also ask them for forgiveness, becouse they also commited many of excess, but between States... borders on ridicule.

 

The process of conquest was guided by Hernan Cortes, but the real actors were the indigenous groups allied with Cortes, who even claimed their role in the conquest to obtain privileges from the Spanish's Crown.

 

To ask an apology to head of the State for acts carried out 500 years ago that confronted some societies that have little to do with ours is untimely and anachronistic. It was a military conquest, with all damages that implies.

 

Better, try to look their frontiers and spend his time in controlling the Drug mafias and Human trafficking to the USA.

 

[soalbundy]

3 hours ago, WayneThompson said:

Yeah you don't apologize for other people actions but like you say to someone who's mum just died or someone who just got diagnosed with cancer you can say "I'm sorry that happened to you".

There are people in colonised countries all around the world who are still living with the generational consequences of imperialism.
Compassion and shared understanding goes a long way.
2 things the Thai Visa forums are famous for lacking.

Manuel is forgetting that he has Spanish blood and that his ancestors no doubt participated in bringing news of the good kind Lord to the natives by smashing their heads in, perhaps he should start the hypocrisy by apologising first. This wont happen, it will open up a can of worms with every country apologising to everyone else, damn Normans invading our Anglo Saxon brothers, Denmark ought to repay the Danegeld and I'm sure the Welsh will want something out of it.

[Benmart]

1 hour ago, Tarteso said:

Mexican President touch the ridiculous and it is a distortion of historical reallity, a manipulation and a political use of history.

 

There was an alliance of Cortes and his men, a few hundred, with the Tlaxcalteca, Otomi, or Xochimilca peoples,  subjugated  by the Mexica. They should also ask them for forgiveness, becouse they also commited many of excess, but between States... borders on ridicule.

 

The process of conquest was guided by Hernan Cortes, but the real actors were the indigenous groups allied with Cortes, who even claimed their role in the conquest to obtain privileges from the Spanish's Crown.

 

To ask an apology to head of the State for acts carried out 500 years ago that confronted some societies that have little to do with ours is untimely and anachronistic. It was a military conquest, with all damages that implies.

 

Better, try to look their frontiers and spend his time in controlling the Drug mafias and Human trafficking to the USA.

 

Well said. The periodic wave of blame for acts committed centuries ago, and the demand for delayed apologies is pathetic.

[GarryP]

2 hours ago, ThaiBunny said:

My English forebears did it tough; first there was "the harrying of the North" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrying_of_the_North under William the Conqueror and then equivalent ethnic cleansing in Henry VIII's reign, called the Pilgrimage of Grace - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilgrimage_of_Grace.  How can I claim my rightful compensation?

Being a Yorkshire lad (well, middle aged git), I shall put in a claim for damages caused to my ancestors by Billy and his froggie mob. He is most certainly the reason my family are suffering from anxiety problems to this day. Every time we hear someone speaking French or English with a French accent,  we start getting all nauseous and wondering when brexit will happen. If it hadn't been for Willie the Conker, we would have voted remain.  

[1duckyboy]

Reparations.

[Odysseus123]

6 minutes ago, GarryP said:

Being a Yorkshire lad (well, middle aged git), I shall put in a claim for damages caused to my ancestors by Billy and his froggie mob. He is most certainly the reason my family are suffering from anxiety problems to this day. Every time we hear someone speaking French or English with a French accent,  we start getting all nauseous and wondering when brexit will happen. If it hadn't been for Willie the Conker, we would have voted remain.  

Very true..Willie was a brexiteer par excellence..whilst Harry,son of Godwin held to the true faith that Mini Coopers should be made in England.

 

The result was the inevitable "Hastings" plebiscite..

[charmonman]

24 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

Manuel is forgetting that he has Spanish blood and that his ancestors no doubt participated in bringing news of the good kind Lord to the natives by smashing their heads in, perhaps he should start the hypocrisy by apologising first. This wont happen, it will open up a can of worms with every country apologising to everyone else, damn Normans invading our Anglo Saxon brothers, Denmark ought to repay the Danegeld and I'm sure the Welsh will want something out of it.

And we should not forget that the Muslim world should apologize to Spain for the Muslim conquest of the Iberian peninsula at some point in the distant past as well.

[Odysseus123]

1 minute ago, charmonman said:

And we should not forget that the Muslim world should apologize to Spain for the Muslim conquest of the Iberian peninsula at some point in the distant past as well.

Or for the Spanish to apologize to the Muslims for their conquest of Morocco..

 

Slightly off topic-who,on earth,would ever go to Grenada if it wasn't for the Alhambra?

 

 

[charmonman]

1 minute ago, Odysseus123 said:

Or for the Spanish to apologize to the Muslims for their conquest of Morocco..

 

Slightly off topic-who,on earth,would ever go to Grenada if it wasn't for the Alhambra?

 

 

My point exactly; this is game that never ends

[Odysseus123]

5 minutes ago, charmonman said:

My point exactly; this is game that never ends

Agreed.

[zydeco]

3 hours ago, soalbundy said:

Manuel is forgetting that he has Spanish blood and that his ancestors no doubt participated in bringing news of the good kind Lord to the natives by smashing their heads in, perhaps he should start the hypocrisy by apologising first.

He hasn't forgotten. The Mexican ruling class play this symphony all the time. And they're usually whiter than the USA. AMLO may have a little Indian in him, but he is mainly Spanish. Just check the heritage of Mexico's recent presidents. Oh, here is his cabinet. I hadn't actually looked at their photos until this topic came up on TVF. Can't tell if there is an Indian in there or not. Maybe one. Maybe two. https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/amlo-cabinet-secretaries/

[Tarteso]

...and Rome must ask for forgiveness for the conquest of Europe.
They should start with these two...

[mlmcleod]

Why apologize?  Central America was conquered by ignorant men 6 centuries ago!  What is the relevance in today's world?

[Penicillin]

Right! Criticize the events in history that created his own existence. 

[ShortTimed]

Must be courting the Indigenous vote.

Or is it the “Hey Look over there” while he steals the Country blind.

FKN Politicians.


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[Bournville]

Geeeez. The balls that guy has. That's ridiculous. Politics 101 and grandstanding.

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[charmonman]

It wasn't that long ago that Trump was saying that Canada should apologize for burning down the White House during the war of 1812.