New Delhi, April 20 -- With a few choice words and a handshake, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum laid to rest a diplomatic spat between her government and Spain over the Spanish colonial past during her visit to Barcelona on Saturday.

"There is no diplomatic crisis, there never was one," she said upon arrival at the IV Meeting in Defense of Democracy, a gathering of representatives of 15 countries concerned with the rise of illiberalism.

"The important thing is to recognize the efforts of the indigenous people of our land," she said, moments before shaking hands with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

Sheinbaum's participation came after Spain's King Felipe VI ironed out a longstanding diplomatic dispute when in March he publicly...