Mexico and 3 other countries that have requested apologies

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Mexico has not been the only country that has requested apologies from other countries. Here in LatinAmerican Post we present you other cases

As incredible as the news of Mexico's request for apologies to Spain for the conquest of the Central American country would have seemed, it has not been the only case recorded. While this episode, serious for some and a mockery for others, has sparked debate, the truth is that networks have not forgiven and, as usual, have made a meme out of the whole situation.

Leer en español: México y otros 3 países que han solicitado disculpas

From Venezuela to Canada, several countries have formally apologized to others and in LatinAmerican Post we tell you more about it:

Mexico and Spain

Last Monday, AMLO, the Mexican president said, in a video posted on his Twitter account, that he had sent a letter to King Felipe VI and Pope Francis asking them to apologize for the abuses committed by the Spaniards during the conquest of Mexico.

"I already sent a letter to the king of Spain and another to the pope so that an account of grievances can be made and the native peoples are asked for forgiveness for the violations of what is now known as human rights." Faced with the above, the Spanish government pronounced itself with "all firmness" and argued that, "the arrival 500 years ago of the Spaniards to the current Mexican lands cannot be judged in the light of contemporary considerations", according to ABC.

Similarly, the spokesman of the Vatican Alessandro Gisotti said that "as is known, the Holy Father has already expressed clearly on this issue" referring to the apologies that the Pope presented "humbly in 2015 for the many and serious sins against the original peoples of America," according to Telemundo.

However, both Mexico and Spain had already referred to the matter and even signed a treaty that forgot that past. Thus, on December 29, 1836, the agreement was signed by the name of 'Definitive Treaty of Peace and Friendship between the Mexican Republic and SMC the Queen Governor of Spain', in which, according to 24Horas, it is agreed "to forget forever the past differences and dissensions, for which, unfortunately, relations of friendship and good harmony between both peoples have been interrupted for so long."

In spite of the above, the Mexican president reiterated the importance of the apologies affirming that "we consider, without confrontation, that it is convenient to offer apologies to the native peoples, because undoubtedly abuses were committed; apologize for authoritarian acts, which were carried out and are known in the public domain ( …) We will wait for a while to calm down. I think there was an over-response, it was exaggerated a lot, which also shows that there is the subject, underground, in the subsoil," according to Forbes.

You may be interested in reading: Will the Mexican government have a revocation or re-election?

Venezuela and Spain

Continuing with the conquering country, in 2017 Nicolás Maduro not only requested an apology but also a "historical compensation" to Spain "in favor of the indigenous peoples who were massacred by the Bourbons," according to López Dóriga. At that time, Maduro criticized the Spanish celebration of October 12, considered as the day of the disembarkation of Christopher Columbus.

"It can not be that Spain continues to celebrate October 12 as a national holiday. I say from here, a party of what, a celebration of death, a party of the invasion, a celebration of torture, a celebration of genocide. What celebrates Spain? What celebrates the king of Spain? (…) The King of Spain has to ask for forgiveness and make a historic compensation to the indigenous peoples who were massacred by the Bourbons throughout our America", according to El Universal. Despite Maduro's statements, Spain ignored the two requests.

Africa and the United States

The 54 countries that make up the African continent requested the apologies of US President Donald Trump when he made racist statements referring not only to African countries but also to El Salvador and Haiti.

Trump referred to these countries as "shit holes" and the events occurred in January 2018 according to La Vanguardia. As a reaction to this, the ambassadors of the different countries in the UN gathered and demanded "apologies and a retraction for his scandalous, racist and xenophobic comments on immigration from their nations," according to France24.

Responding to this, Trump denied in several tweets having used this expression, although he admitted that the language used was "hard", according to La Vanguardia. He also wrote: "I have never said something derogatory about Haitians other than Haiti is obviously a very poor and problematic country." I never said "take them out" (…) I have a wonderful relationship with Haitians. I should record future meetings – unfortunately, there is no trust! "

Canada and Pope Francis

In 2017, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with Pope Francis in Vatican City where he requested "the possibility of publicly asking for forgiveness for the mistreatment that the Catholic Church has made against the natives of his nation", according to The Mexico News. According to 24 horas, Trudeau expressed the importance of "that the Canadians advance in a real reconciliation with the indigenous peoples and highlighted his helping role in issuing an apology."

The above taking into account the scenario of conquest in which, in many schools, education was in charge of the Roman Catholic Church in the so-called "residential schools", where aboriginal children were separated from their customs.

However, Archbishop Lionel Gendron, president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Archbishops, said that "the pope can not apologize for what happened in the school residences, but he is aware of the injustices committed," according to El Universal.

LatinAmerican Post | Laura Viviana Guevara Muñoz

Translated from "México y otros 3 países que han solicitado disculpas"