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Spain deems king Felipe VI’s exclusion from Mexico’s inauguration “unacceptable”

The Spanish government has deemed it “unacceptable” that King Felipe VI has not been invited to the inauguration of Mexico’s elected president, Claudia Sheinbaum, scheduled for October 1 in Mexico City. As a result, Spain has decided not to participate in the ceremony at any level, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Sheinbaum, the official candidate from Mexico, secured a decisive victory over opposition candidate Xóchitl Gálvez in the presidential elections held on June 3. Following her win, the outgoing president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, indicated that the new president might resume bilateral relations, which were put on “pause” in 2022 due to a perceived “lack of respect” from the Spanish side.

“Now that changes are taking place, there is an opportunity with President Claudia Sheinbaum, who is a very intelligent, very respectful, and very fraternal woman, and who also understands the history of Mexico and the world,” López Obrador stated during a conference last July.

In 2022, López Obrador once again directed his criticisms towards Spain, a pattern he has followed since taking office in December 2018. He paused relations between the two countries and called for an apology from King Felipe VI regarding the Conquest.

In March 2019, he sent a letter to the monarch demanding that “the Spanish State acknowledges its historical responsibility” for the offenses committed during the conquest and “offers the apologies or political reparations that are appropriate,” a request that has never received a response.

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Traditionally, King Felipe has attended the inaugurations of Ibero-American presidents, first as Prince of Asturias and later as King. However, on various occasions and for different reasons, the representation has fallen to another high-ranking official of the State.

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International

Wildfires in France Burn Nearly Three Times More Land Than in 2025, Interior Minister Says

More than 50,000 hectares of land have been destroyed by wildfires across France since the beginning of the year, nearly three times the area affected during the same period in 2025, French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said Friday in an interview with AFP.

Emergency crews are currently battling several major fires, including one near the popular Cap Ferret peninsula, where flames have already consumed more than 10,000 hectares, making it the largest wildfire of the season so far, according to the minister.

“Currently, we have 32 fires underway, which obviously do not all have the same level of importance,” Nuñez said.

“We have exceeded the threshold of 50,000 hectares burned since January 1 of this year. It is practically three times more than during the same period last year,” he added.

Despite the extensive resources deployed and the long hours worked by emergency teams — estimated to be two and a half times higher than last year — Nuñez said authorities remain “calm” and “determined” to contain the situation.

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The minister acknowledged that the main concern is the fatigue affecting firefighters and emergency personnel who have been working under demanding conditions.

“The concern, if there has to be one, obviously lies in the state of exhaustion of the men and women who are committed. We have to hold on throughout the entire season,” Nuñez said.

France’s late spring and early summer have been marked by repeated periods of extreme heat, conditions linked by scientists to climate change and considered a major factor contributing to the increase in wildfire activity across the country.

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International

Israel Says Saudi Recognition Would Mark ‘Historic Breakthrough’ for Middle East Peace

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Saudi Arabia’s recognition of Israel would represent a “historic breakthrough” toward achieving peace in the Middle East.

The statement came after the United States and Saudi Arabia announced an agreement on Wednesday to establish a civil nuclear program in the kingdom. U.S. President Donald Trump said the initiative would be linked to Riyadh’s decision to normalize diplomatic relations with Israel.

“Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords would represent a historic breakthrough toward peace in the Middle East,” Netanyahu’s office said following Trump’s announcement.

The statement added that recent developments, including joint military actions by the United States and Israel against Iran, as well as Israel’s efforts against what it described as Iran’s “terror axis,” have created new opportunities to expand regional diplomatic ties.

“The joint U.S.-Israeli military action against the genocidal regime in Tehran and Israel’s defeat of Iran’s terror axis have created the possibility of expanding the circle of peace,” the statement said.

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A potential normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia would represent a major diplomatic shift in the region, as Riyadh has long been viewed as one of the key countries whose formal recognition could significantly reshape Middle Eastern relations.

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Nicolás Maduro’s Son Calls U.S. Trial Against His Father and Cilia Flores “Unjust”

Venezuelan lawmaker Nicolás Maduro Guerra on Wednesday described as “unjust” the legal proceedings in the United States against his father, ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, following their capture in Caracas on January 3 by U.S. forces.

“Faced with the unjust trial taking place today, the people raised their voices with a single demand: We demand the immediate release of President Nicolás Maduro and the First Lady,” Maduro Guerra wrote on his Instagram account.

The lawmaker attended a rally in Caracas where supporters of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV)gathered to show support for the former president, who faces charges in the United States including conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism and cocaine importation. Flores is accused of crimes related to drug trafficking and weapons possession.

The event was also attended by PSUV Vice President for Mobilizations and Events Nahum Fernández and Caracas Mayor Carmen Meléndez, according to photos shared by Maduro’s son.

The third hearing in the case against Maduro and Flores concluded Wednesday at a federal court in New York after lasting only about 18 minutes. During the hearing, the judge preliminarily set June 2027 as the expected start date for the trial.

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One of the main arguments from the defense will focus on immunity. Maduro’s lead attorney, Barry Pollack, who has also represented WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, said the defense plans to request immunity for both defendants, arguing that Maduro was serving as head of state and Flores as first lady at the time of their detention.

Both Maduro and Flores pleaded not guilty during their first court appearance in New York on January 5.

Meanwhile, Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodríguez, who assumed power after Maduro’s capture, has not yet commented on Wednesday’s hearing in the United States.

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