Mexican President Officially Apologizes for 500 Years of 'Maya People Abuse'

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, President of Mexico (right), and Alejandro Giammattei, President of Guatemala (center), attended an apology event for the abuse of the Maya people on the 3rd (local time) in Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Quintana Roo state.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] The Mexican government officially apologized for the abuse of the Maya indigenous people that began 500 years ago.

On the 3rd (local time), according to major foreign media, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador apologized to the Maya indigenous people at an event held in Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Quintana Roo. Felipe Carrillo Puerto is a city where most of the residents are Maya.

On that day, President Obrador said, "I sincerely apologize to the Maya people who were terribly abused by individuals, the state, or foreign powers that ruled (Mexico) during three centuries of colonial rule and two centuries after independence."

Interior Minister Olga Sanchez said, "On behalf of the Mexican government, we ask for forgiveness for the injustices inflicted on the Maya people in our history and the discrimination they still face today," adding, "We have long denied the wrongs and injustices done to the Maya, but today we acknowledge them."

Major foreign media explained that the apology was made in commemoration of the "500th anniversary of Spain's conquest of Mexico" and the "200th anniversary of Mexico's independence in 1821."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.