The forensic evidence is the forensic evidence. The Mayans sacrificed men and young boys. Make of it what you will.
As far as "oppressive conquerors", all of our European ancestors in the Americas in the 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th Centuries were conquerers whether they be Spanish or English.
One point to be considered is that, in the Yucatan, a large portion of the population is still Mayan Indian. Most Mexicans are, genetically, mostly Indian. On the other hand, when was the last time you ever came face to face with an American Indian from Virginia or Delaware or Pennsylvania or Massachusetts?
The Spaniards may have oppressed the Mayans but they did not almost completely wipe them off the map like the English did to the Indians of the Eastern Seaboard.
“The Spaniards may have oppressed the Mayans but they did not almost completely wipe them off the map like the English did to the Indians of the Eastern Seaboard.”
“But, there should also be understanding.
Smallpox and measles killed more Indians
than bullets and swords. Most of the
Indians who died had never seen a European.
The conquerors believed that tropical
forests were inexhaustible. Nor were
the Caribbean Islands a paradise; the Indians
fought among themselves and died of
their own diseases.”
http://www.heroesinamerica.org/TenHistoryLessensPG.pdf
Many of the Indians were killed by their tribal enemies, some because their European allies would not supply them with guns, while their enemies’ European allies supplied their enemies with arms.
Then, too, just seeing the overwhelming superiority of civilization took the heart out of some tribes.