The upcoming inauguration of Claudia Sheinbaum as the President of Mexico on October 1 has sparked significant controversy due to the guest list of international leaders. Among the confirmed attendees are three figures often labeled as "dictators" on social media due to their authoritarian regimes: Nicolás Maduro from Venezuela, Miguel Díaz-Canel of Cuba, and Vladimir Putin of Russia.
However, the bigger uproar stems from Sheinbaum's decision to exclude King Felipe VI of Spain from the event. On Wednesday, Sheinbaum explained that the exclusion was due to the lack of response from Felipe VI to a letter sent by the current Mexican President, Andrés Manuel López Obrador. The letter requested an apology for the Spanish conquest's grievances over five centuries ago.
"Unfortunately, this letter did not receive a direct response as would have been appropriate for the best diplomatic practices in bilateral relations. Instead, parts of the letter were leaked to the media," Sheinbaum stated. This explanation has only intensified the debate over the King's exclusion.
The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned Sheinbaum's decision as "unacceptable" and confirmed that Spain would not attend the historic ceremony. Although Mexican authorities extended an invitation to Spanish President Pedro Sánchez, the exclusion of King Felipe VI was seen as a deliberate snub. Sánchez publicly announced, "If the King does not attend, Spain will not be represented at the inauguration."
This marks the first time in history that the Spanish monarch will not attend the inauguration of a Mexican president. Besides the Spanish King, invitations were also not extended to the governments of Ecuador and Peru.
Sheinbaum secured her presidency in the June 2024 elections with between 58.3% and 60.7% of the votes. She will be inaugurated as Mexico's 66th president, succeeding Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who will step down on September 30, 2024. The October 1 ceremony will be the first under the new constitutional reform that moved the inauguration date from December to October.
As preparations for the event continue, the controversy regarding the international guest list intensifies. While some praise the inclusion of leaders such as Maduro, Díaz-Canel, and Putin, others criticize the absence of representation from Spain and several Latin American countries.