Mexico recovered this Thursday in New York several archaeological objects and historical documents from the 16th century, among which is a letter from Hernán Cortés and a decree from Queen Isabel, which were described by the Mexican Foreign Minister, Marcelo Ebrard, as ” very old and very important for the history of Mexico “ .
“Historical documents from the 16th century, including Letter from Hernán Cortés, recovered by the New York Attorney General’s office and Home Land Investigations. Today they were delivered to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs and placed in the custody of our consulate in New York to be transferred to Mexico City “
Ebrard accompanied his message with a short video in which the texts are shown, among which is also a royal decree of Queen Isabel of 1529 and several archaeological objects and figures that had been stolen from the National Archive of Mexico and sold illegally.
New York City Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Nitin Savur, who was in charge of delivering the objects to the head of Mexican diplomacy, described Hernán Cortés as an “infamous Spanish conqueror . “
“Today, a week after Mexico’s Independence Day, we have the honor of returning 15 pieces associated with the infamous Spanish conqueror Hernán Cortés to the people of Mexico, including a royal decree signed by the Queen of Spain in 1529 authorizing the return of Courteous to the colonies, “ Nitin Savur was quoted as saying in a statement.
According to the New York prosecutor’s office, these are archaeological documents and pieces from a collection “of incalculable value” that, after their theft in Mexico, appeared in numerous art galleries and auction houses.
Savur noted that his recovery was the result of efforts between the United States’ Anti-Trafficking in Antiquities Unit and Mexican authorities.
“These emblematic elements of the cultural heritage, which show the evolution of the Spanish state in Latin America and the roots of the Mexican national identity, return home, where they will be studied and treasured for future generations , “ stressed the assistant prosecutor.