AMLO-watchers recorded another rare sighting of the president wearing a face mask this week.

It was the fourth time that President López Obrador has been seen wearing a protective mask in public since the coronavirus pandemic began earlier this year.

Despite recommendations by Mexican health authorities that wearing a mask helps mitigate the spread of the virus, López Obrador has been reluctant to do so.

He wore one for the first time on his flights to and from the United States in early July, and also on July 17 when he flew from Colima to Mexico City. 

Yesterday he donned a mask for a commercial flight to Guadalajara, days after he vowed not to wear one until there was no longer any corruption.

“I am going to put on a mask, you know when? When there is no corruption anymore, then I will put on my mask,” he said.

López Obrador’s refusal to follow health guidelines has drawn criticism from other politicians. 

National Action Party legislators in the Chamber of Deputies announced Thursday they will seek a legal order to compel the president to wear face masks at public events, and Citizens Movement party Deputy Mara Robles of Jalisco has also launched a plea on change.org that the president wear a mask. It had drawn nearly 20,000 signatures by Tuesday. 

A poll has revealed further evidence that the public disagrees with the president’s stance.

According to a survey by the newspaper El Financiero, 71% of Mexicans said it was a bad or a very bad thing that the president refuses to wear a mask in public. 

In addition, 28% of the 820 adults surveyed condemned the president for embarking on a tour of states during the coronavirus pandemic, while 49% thought the tour was a good idea. 

State visits continue, and López Obrador will travel to Nayarit, Sinaloa, Sonora and Baja California Sur this week.

Source: El Debate (sp), La Razón (sp), El Financiero (sp), El Universal (sp)