KING Felipe VI acknowledged that “there was much abuse” during Spain’s colonization of the Americas, speaking during a visit to the exhibition "Half the World: Women in Indigenous Mexico," a joint initiative of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Mexican Ministry of Culture.
In remarks shared by the Spanish Royal Household, Felipe noted that while early directives such as the Laws of the Indies were intended to offer protection, these were not fully realized in practice.
Speaking with Mexican ambassador Quirino Ordaz, the king also pointed to the moral and ethical controversies surrounding the exercise of power during the colonial period, adding that acknowledging this history can help foster greater mutual understanding. (NPG)