The Diplomat
“There is no gesture of hostility”. This was stated yesterday by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, in response to a question about reports that the Spanish government’s delay in granting the new Mexican ambassador in Madrid the diplomatic seal of approval was due to the unfriendly attitude of the Mexican president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, towards Spain.
Speaking at the Europa Press Breakfast Meetings, Albares said that “Mexico is a great country, a brother country, fundamental in the Ibero-American community of nations”. He added that López Obrador’s latest statements seem to him to be “very correct and friendly about Spain in describing the relationship that he wants to have with the country and that they are the same ones that Spain wants to have with Mexico”.
According to the minister, the plácet follows the normal administrative procedure and “there are no difficulties”, he said, assuring that he would ask the corresponding services of his ministry about the matter.
At the beginning of November, the Mexican government asked the Spanish authorities for permission to appoint the former governor of Sinaloa, Quirino Ordaz, as ambassador to Spain, but almost three months later there has been no response. This delay in the response led some Mexican media to claim that the request was going to be denied, something that does not seem likely to happen.
