Mexicos President Dismisses Use of Face Masks as Economy Reopens

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador downplayed the use of face masks in stark contrast with a Tuesday comment by Finance Minister Arturo Herrera stating that masks will be key in the reactivation of the economy.

“If masks were an option to reactivate the economy I would wear it immediately but thats not the case,” said Lopez Obrador

Herrera, who was sitting next to the president with a nervous smile, took the podium to say that with his statement he meant that industrial activity will require protection measures and economy will have to work in new ways.

Lopez Obrador has avoided to wear a mask in public events throughout the pandemic. The first and only time he has been spotted wearing one was during a July 7 flight to the U.S., a day ahead his meeting with Donald Trump in Washington.

Lopez Obrador said he follows health experts‘ recommendations. The public face of Mexico’s response to the pandemic, Hugo Lopez-Gatell, has given mixed messages about the use of masks.

Virus deaths have nothing to do with whether a president wears a mask or not, Lopez Obrador said. As of Tuesday, Mexico had 40,400 coronavirus deaths, yielding the 4th deadliest tally worldwide, after the U.S., Brazil and the U.K.

Tras la declaración de @ArturoHerrera_G sobre el uso de cubrebocas para relanzar con mayor éxito la economía, @lopezobrador_ dijo que “si el cubrebocas fuera una opción para la reactivación, me lo pondría de inmediato, pero no es así”. Después, el titular de Hacienda aclaró. pic.twitter.com/KUNMMFyM5S

— El Financiero TV (@ElFinancieroTv) July 22, 2020

Other topics

• Lopez Obrador presented a pension reform proposal alongside Finance Minister Arturo Herrera, CCE Head Carlos Salazar and both senate and lower house leaders

• AMLO and Big Business Agree to Overhaul Mexicos Pension System

• About 30,000 jobs have been lost in July, said Lopez Obrador, a much slower pace compared to previous months. Herrera said the construction industry alone has recovered almost 140,000 jobs but did not specify the period

• Lopez Obrador said Communications and Transport Minister Javier Jimenez Espriu disagrees with the governments decision to hand control of customs and ports to the armed forces but said the disagreement would be resolved. The comment comes after rumors of the ministers possible resignation emerged over the weekend. Lopez Obrador said he would inform on the situation on Thursday or Friday

• The luxurious presidential jet returns to Mexico on Wednesday after sitting in a California hangar for close to 19 months. Lopez Obrador said that a buyer has already made a down-payment for the aircraft. The president has claimed on previous occasions that there were buyers or interest for the plane but no real bid has ever materialized

The press conference can be seen here