By THE PULSE NEWS MEXICO STAFF

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón arrived in Mexico City on Wednesday, Jan. 30, for a two-day official visit.

During his stay, Sánchez Pérez-Castejón, who was accompanied by Spanish Justice Minister Dolores Delgado and Industry, Trade and Tourism Minister María Reyes Maroto, as well as a high-level business delegation, was received by Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) at the National Palace, who later hosted a welcome lunch for the left-leaning Spanish leader at the Antigo Colegio de San Ildefonso..

In a joint press conference, the two heads of government stated that they had discussed a number of topics, including bilateral trade, investment, financial institutions, global development, social justice and, in particular, the mounting tensions in Venezuela, where National Assembly leader Juan Guaidó proclaimed himself interim president on Jan. 23 after declaring the highly contested May 2018 re-election of Nicolás Maduro to be fraudulent and invalid.

Although he is head of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE), Pérez-Castejón’s government has taken a strong stance against Maduro, who he has called a “tyrant.”

AMLO, on the other hand, has steadfastly maintained his support of Maduro, despite mounting international pressure for him to resign.

Sánchez Pérez-Castejón and AMLO did not seem to have found common ground regarding Maduro, and during the press conference, when asked about the topic, the Mexican president consistently changed the subject away from Venezuela and toward the issue of political corruption.

Sánchez Pérez-Castejón is the first head of government to pay an official visit to Mexico since López Obrador took office on Dec. 1.