The Mexican Foreign Ministry’s response to Cayetana Álvarez de Toledo’s criticism of Mexico’s security situation reads like a diplomatic jab wrapped in a smirk. “They say Mexico is dangerous,” Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard shot back in a recent interview with El País, “but they keep visiting.” The line—equal parts exasperation and defiance—captures a broader tension: how Spain’s political class, from conservative firebrands to centrist officials, oscillates between moralizing about Mexico’s violence and quietly profiting from its economic ties. This isn’t just a spat between two politicians. It’s a microcosm of a fractured transatlantic relationship, where sovereignty, crime, and cultural perception collide in ways that matter far beyond the headlines.
What the exchange obscures is the structural contradiction at the heart of Spain-Mexico relations: while European elites decry Mexico’s cartels as an existential threat, their governments and corporations remain deeply entangled in its economy. The numbers tell the story. Between 2020 and 2024, Spanish direct investment in Mexico surged by 42%, outpacing growth in sectors like tourism or remittances. Meanwhile, Mexican cartels—often vilified in Spanish media—have become key suppliers of precursor chemicals to European labs, a relationship that Spanish law enforcement agencies have long downplayed. The hypocrisy isn’t lost on analysts.
The Hypocrisy of High-Profile Criticism
Álvarez de Toledo, a conservative deputy from Spain’s Vox party, has made a career out of framing Mexico as a failed state. Her latest dig—comparing cartel violence to Hernán Cortés’ conquest—was met with derision in Mexico, where historians and officials quickly pointed out that Cortés, too, operated in a context of colonial violence, not modern criminal syndicates. But her comments reflect a deeper pattern: Spain’s right-wing parties have weaponized Mexico’s insecurity to rally domestic support, while Spain’s business elite continues to bet on Mexico’s growth.
Take the case of Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the fiery Madrid president who once called Mexico “a country of criminals.” Yet her region’s tourism sector relies heavily on Mexican visitors—over 1.2 million Spanish tourists traveled to Mexico in 2023, many of them from Madrid. The disconnect is deliberate. “Spain’s political class uses Mexico as a cultural punching bag,” says Dr. Javier Oliva, a political scientist at Complutense University of Madrid. “It’s a way to signal toughness on immigration and crime without addressing the economic interdependence that makes criticism performative.”
“The Spanish establishment’s narrative about Mexico is a mix of colonial nostalgia and economic pragmatism. They want to have it both ways: condemn the cartels while keeping the trade flowing.”
Mexico’s Response: Defiance Meets Diplomacy
Ebrard’s retort—“they visit continuously”—wasn’t just a jab. It was a data-driven rebuttal. In 2023, Mexico welcomed over 2.5 million Spanish tourists, a 20% increase from 2022. Meanwhile, Spanish companies like Iberdrola and Telefónica have expanded aggressively in Mexico’s renewable energy and telecom sectors, despite the risks. “The cartels don’t stop Spanish business,” says Ambassador María Elena Varela, Mexico’s consul general in Barcelona. “They adapt. And so do we.”
But the back-and-forth isn’t just about tourism or trade. It’s about sovereignty. Álvarez de Toledo’s claim that Mexico is “losing control” of its territory ignores the fact that Mexico’s military has retaken key cities from cartels in recent years, often with U.S. Intelligence support. Yet Spanish media frames the violence as an unchecked crisis, ignoring Mexico’s complex security strategies, including cooperation with the U.S..
“Spain’s media amplifies the narrative of Mexico as a ‘dangerous’ place, but the reality is far more nuanced. The cartels are a threat, but so is the economic and political isolation that comes from demonizing an entire country.”
The Economic Tightrope: Who Wins, Who Loses?
If we map the winners and losers in this diplomatic ping-pong, the picture is clear:
- Winners:
- Spanish corporations: Companies like Mercadona and BBVA benefit from Mexico’s stable economy, even as political rhetoric stokes fear.
- Mexico’s government: Ebrard’s defiance reinforces Mexico’s diplomatic independence, particularly as the U.S. Tightens its grip on Latin America.
- Cartels (indirectly): The moral panic in Spain creates legal gray areas for European firms that turn a blind eye to cartel-linked supply chains.
- Losers:
- Spanish tourists: Overblown safety warnings deter some travelers, despite Mexico’s relatively low violent crime rates outside cartel strongholds.
- Mexican migrants in Spain: Anti-immigration rhetoric in Spain fuels xenophobia, even as Spain relies on Mexican workers in sectors like agriculture and healthcare.
- Journalistic integrity: Sensationalism overshadows nuanced reporting on Mexico’s security challenges, which are often tied to U.S. Demand for drugs and arms.
The Bigger Picture: A Relationship Built on Contradictions
This feud isn’t just about two politicians clashing. It’s about how Europe and Latin America navigate post-colonial power dynamics. Spain’s criticism of Mexico echoes the historical pattern of European nations lecturing former colonies on governance, while quietly benefiting from their resources. Mexico, for its part, is walking a tightrope: it needs European investment but can’t afford to be seen as a client state.
Consider the numbers: Spain is Mexico’s 5th-largest trading partner, with bilateral commerce hitting $12.3 billion in 2023. Yet Spanish media frames Mexico as a threat, not a partner. “What we have is classic neocolonialism,” says Dr. Ana María Torres, a Latin American studies expert at Autonomous University of Madrid. “Spain wants Mexico to be ‘safe’ enough for business, but not so stable that it challenges Spain’s own political narratives.”
“The real scandal isn’t the cartels. It’s that Spain’s political class would rather scapegoat Mexico than address its own complicity in the global drug trade.”
What’s Next? The Road Ahead for Spain-Mexico Relations
The tension between Ebrard and Álvarez de Toledo won’t disappear anytime soon. But the economic realities suggest that cooperation will outlast the rhetoric. Here’s what to watch:
- Cartel crackdowns: If Mexico’s government intensifies operations against cartels, Spain may face pressure to tighten its own anti-money laundering laws, which currently lag behind those in the U.S. And EU.
- Energy ties: With Spain betting big on renewable energy, Mexico’s solar and wind sectors could become a flashpoint—especially if Spanish firms face backlash over their Mexican operations.
- Migration policies: As Spain struggles with rising irregular migration, Mexico’s role as a transit country could become a diplomatic bargaining chip—or a new source of conflict.
The bottom line? This isn’t just about two politicians trading barbs. It’s about who controls the narrative—and who pays the price. For Spain, the cost is credibility. For Mexico, it’s sovereignty. And for the average citizen on both sides of the Atlantic? The real price is a relationship that’s too important to be left to politicians.
So here’s the question for you: If Spain’s business elite and political class are so intertwined with Mexico’s economy, why does the public get the impression that Mexico is a threat rather than a partner? And more importantly—what would it take to change that narrative?
