The Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City houses the mighty headdress of Moctezuma II, intricately adorned with precious stones and beautiful emerald-green quetzal feathers. Next to it, however, is displayed a slightly galling sign that reads, “This is a replica of the original, which is exhibited in the Weltmuseum Wien in Vienna.” While the two countries have held talks about the return of Moctezuma’s headdress, which was taken by Hernán Cortés during the conquest of the Americas; scientists have determined that the transfer would risk the preservation of the headdress. An important piece of Mexican history has found its final resting place in an Austrian museum because of colonialism. And while I would love to see a cultural relic be returned to its rightful home, I have remained complacent to the many measures taken for its conservation. This approach is the same one I take when thinking about the colonization of the Americas in general. It is important to understand where the headdress came from and what it is doing elsewhere, and all efforts must be made to bring it back.

For the same reason, when Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced on March, 25 that he had sent letters to the Spanish King and to the Pope asking for an apology for the grievances committed during the colonial period, I did not think it was an outlandish request. And yet, what seemed to be the entire world, turned their mockful eyes toward the president and laughed at his announcement, with some even daring to throw insults around. However, I believe there is some value to an apology being issued by King Felipe VI for the violent acts committed in the 16th century, and that to simply brush López Obrador’s request aside like he did was not the best course of action. There are three main reasons why the King should have respectfully considered an apology to the original peoples of the American continent.

Firstly, countless heads of state have set a precedent for apologizing in the name of their countries for certain historical crimes against other peoples. Most recently, Belgian prime minister Charles Michel addressed the country’s parliament and apologized for the abduction of more than 10,000 mixed-race children during colonial Belgium’s presence in Congo, Rwanda and Burundi. This represented an incredible step forward for the country’s recognition of its colonial past – the first time it has officially done so – and victims expressed their appreciation for the federal government’s attempts toward reparation. However, retroactive apologies don’t stop here, French President Emmanuel Macron apologized to Algeria for the implementation of a system that allowed for torture and injustice in the former French colony. More than a couple German leaders have apologized for their country’s occupation of several European nations and involvement in the killing of more than six million Jews during World War II. With this trend of previously belligerent nations apologizing for their past acts, it should come as no surprise that King Felipe VI himself has offered reparations to Sephardic Jews for their 1492 religious persecution and expulsion from Spain. With regards to López Obrador’s request, Pope Francis had already apologized in 2015 by saying, “I humbly ask forgiveness, not only for the offense of the Church herself, but also for crimes committed against the native peoples during the so-called conquest of America.” Clearly, a petition for forgiveness from one nation to another is neither unfounded nor surprisingly at this time.

Secondly, it is a valuable chance to learn from history and build upon a shared history of common understanding. López Obrador suggested that Spain, Mexico and the Vatican conduct a revision of the grievances committed in order to establish a universal account of historical events. This is a viable and necessary proposition because of the date Oct. 12. Although it holds various different names all throughout Latin America, this date is commonly recognized by all those in the western hemisphere as a day of indigenous resistance, of racial celebration, or simply as a day of cultural diversity and respect. Yet in Spain, this date is celebrated as the Day of Hispanidad, in which the king presides over a military parade and tales are told of the glorious conquistadors that “discovered” other peoples and widened the empire. This profoundly inaccurate version of events celebrated as a national holiday has not only received criticism from those within Spain, but it has also allowed for some, like the leader of the People’s Party Pablo Casado, to reject López Obrador’s request based on erroneous and ridiculous claims. Casado stated that the entire world should admire the magnificent history of Spanish colonialism, that Spain’s role was necessary for the discovery and development of the New World and that Mexico has no right to denounce colonial-era grievances because it wasn’t even a country back then. A shared retelling of the events could go a long way in preventing the spread of this kind of historical ignorance, and it can only be achieved through a recognition of the acts Spain committed in the former colonies.

Lastly, an apology from King Felipe VI would serve a symbolic role. 2021 will mark the 500th anniversary of the fall of the Aztecs, as well as the 200th celebration of the consummation of the Mexican war for independence from Spain. What López Obrador is attempting to do, and what the king has an opportunity to do, is to recognize the historical importance of Spain’s colonial past and honor Mexican-Spanish relations today. While an apology from the Spanish crown to the original peoples of the continent won’t do anything at all for the betterment of indigenous people’s descendant’s condition of life, it might help fuel a conversation about the consequences of 300 years of colonial exploitation that can still be felt in the inheritance of poor institutions, a war-torn country and a racism and classism that permeates society today.

So, while López Obrador should not wait for an apology, and I don’t expect King Felipe to deliver one, it is still important to hold conversations about colonialism and to own up to the actions that have been committed in the past, even if the apologies feel unnecessary and uncomfortable. It is important to understand why an Aztec ruler’s mythical headdress, the pride of the Mexican descendants of the native people of the continent, can be seen in an Austrian museum thousands of kilometers away from home.