Mexico’s president dismissive of wearing mask in pandemic

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador on Wednesday downplayed the importance of wearing face masks during the pandemic, calling his treasury secretary’s assertion that using them would be a factor in reactivating the economy “disproportionate.”

López Obrador had never been seen publicly wearing a mask until he flew to Washington earlier this month to meet with President Donald Trump.

“If a mask was an option for the economy’s reactivation, I’d put one on immediately,” López Obrador said Wednesday. “But it’s not like that. I follow the recommendations . . .