Pedro Sánchez: Ayuso’s Visit to Mexico was “embarrassing”

ByJosé Shaddai Olvera Torres

This article by José Shaddai Olvera Torres originally appeared in the May 11, 2026 edition of El Chamuco.

Editor’s note: Isabel Díaz Ayuso is the President of the Community of Madrid and a member of Spain’s ultra-right, Francoist People’s Party who travelled to Mexico last week to meet and provoke with members of Mexico’s hapless right wing, including Cuauhtémoc mayor Alessandra Rojo de la Vega, and attempt some sort of reputational reinvigoration of Hernán Cortés. Ayuso cut her public appearances short before the weekend, accusing President Sheinbaum of attempting to expel her from Mexico.

The Prime Minister of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, criticized Isabel Díaz Ayuso’s tour of Mexico this Sunday and said that her interventions caused “second-hand embarrassment”.

During an event of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE), Sánchez questioned the behavior of the leader of the People’s Party (PP) in Mexican territory, particularly for her statements about the history of the conquest and her criticisms of the left.

“Did you see Ayuso’s spectacle in Mexico? Ms. Ayuso goes to Mexico to give history lessons and ends up making everyone feel embarrassed,” the Spanish Prime Minister declared to socialist activists.

Pedro Sánchez gave a warm embrace to the fraternal Mexican people.

The Spanish Prime Minister used his speech to criticize the Spanish right wing and the Vox party, amid the ongoing political confrontation between the PSOE and the PP. The statements come after several days of controversy surrounding Ayuso’s visit to Mexico, marked by protests, political questions, and controversies related to the figure of Hernán Cortés and the legacy of the Spanish conquest.

Pedro Sánchez Acknowledges Mexico’s Historic Support

During his speech, Sánchez also sent a message of appreciation to Mexico and recalled the historical support that the country provided to thousands of Spanish republicans after the Spanish Civil War and the rise of the regime headed by Francisco Franco. The Prime Minister thanked former President Lázaro Cárdenas for his role in receiving Spanish exiles during that historical period.

Ayuso’s visit to Mexico has intensified the political debate in both Spain and Mexico about historical memory, the far right, and bilateral relations.