Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, president of Mexico City, took the opportunity during her official speech at the commemoration ceremony of the Battle of May 5 to respond to comments made by Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the president of the Community of Madrid. Ayuso recently honored Hernán Cortés as a "founder of Mexico" and criticized social programs, the political party Morena, and the government of the Fourth Transformation (4T).
Without naming Ayuso, Sheinbaum criticized those who seek to glorify the Conquest and Cortés in Mexican history. She stated, "Those who revive the Conquest as salvation are destined for defeat. Those who believe that the people are foolish are destined for defeat. Those who seek to reclaim Hernán Cortés and his atrocities are destined for defeat."
Sheinbaum emphasized that Mexico's history is characterized by resistance against foreign invasions and internal betrayals by those who, from a conservative standpoint, have aimed to subjugate the people and betray the nation.
This response comes in the context of Ayuso's controversial visit to Mexico, where she has defended the Conquest and the roles of figures like Isabel the Catholic, Hernán Cortés, and Malinche. In her own remarks, Ayuso described the last five centuries as a "history of love," countering narratives of hatred and division, and emphasizing the need for open dialogue and unity rather than creating external enemies.
The exchange highlights the ongoing debate in Mexico regarding historical interpretation and the legacy of colonization.