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‘A Colossal Error’: Mexican Leader Under Fire for Plan to Visit Trump ‘A Colossal Error’: Mexican Leader Under Fire for Plan to Visit Trump
(32 minutes later)
MEXICO CITY — The risks could be enormous, but they haven’t swayed President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico.MEXICO CITY — The risks could be enormous, but they haven’t swayed President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico.
Mexican diplomats and opposition figures have warned Mr. López Obrador against traveling to Washington this week to thank President Trump and celebrate the beginning of a new trade deal between the two countries and Canada.Mexican diplomats and opposition figures have warned Mr. López Obrador against traveling to Washington this week to thank President Trump and celebrate the beginning of a new trade deal between the two countries and Canada.
The visit, they have said, was an incomprehensible choice in the middle of a pandemic and global economic crisis, coming with the risk of public humiliation at the hands of Mr. Trump, who has called Mexican immigrants “rapists” and “animals” and has said that Mexico is “not our friend.”The visit, they have said, was an incomprehensible choice in the middle of a pandemic and global economic crisis, coming with the risk of public humiliation at the hands of Mr. Trump, who has called Mexican immigrants “rapists” and “animals” and has said that Mexico is “not our friend.”
Still, Mr. López Obrador said he would move ahead with plans to fly to Washington and greet Mr. Trump on Wednesday.Still, Mr. López Obrador said he would move ahead with plans to fly to Washington and greet Mr. Trump on Wednesday.
“President Trump’s discourse regarding Mexico has been more respectful than it was previously, for which we are very grateful,” Mr. López Obrador said in a recent news conference. “I am also going to give thanks for the U.S. government’s respectful treatment of us.”“President Trump’s discourse regarding Mexico has been more respectful than it was previously, for which we are very grateful,” Mr. López Obrador said in a recent news conference. “I am also going to give thanks for the U.S. government’s respectful treatment of us.”
Bernardo Sepúlveda, a former foreign minister, wrote in an open letter to the government that the trip would “negatively affect national interests” in the long term, noting that Mr. Trump has been “stigmatizing, offending and humiliating Mexican immigrants.”Bernardo Sepúlveda, a former foreign minister, wrote in an open letter to the government that the trip would “negatively affect national interests” in the long term, noting that Mr. Trump has been “stigmatizing, offending and humiliating Mexican immigrants.”
The visit could also alienate the Democratic Party in the run up to the November elections. Mr. López Obrador does not plan to meet with Joseph R. Biden Jr., the former vice president and the presumptive Democratic nominee. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada declined the invitation to attend the summit, citing scheduling conflicts.The visit could also alienate the Democratic Party in the run up to the November elections. Mr. López Obrador does not plan to meet with Joseph R. Biden Jr., the former vice president and the presumptive Democratic nominee. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada declined the invitation to attend the summit, citing scheduling conflicts.
Some Mexican politicians and pundits view the trip as a capitulation to a leader who has routinely disparaged the country and undermined its interests. Jorge Castañeda, another former foreign minister, said the visit would not yield many benefits for Mexico and that “Trump is using López Obrador for his own political ends.” And Arturo Sarukhán, former Mexican ambassador to the United States, called the trip “a colossal error, electorally, diplomatically and strategically.”Some Mexican politicians and pundits view the trip as a capitulation to a leader who has routinely disparaged the country and undermined its interests. Jorge Castañeda, another former foreign minister, said the visit would not yield many benefits for Mexico and that “Trump is using López Obrador for his own political ends.” And Arturo Sarukhán, former Mexican ambassador to the United States, called the trip “a colossal error, electorally, diplomatically and strategically.”
But the roasting has not deterred Mr. López Obrador, long a divisive figure in Mexican politics. He has insisted that there is more to gain from the visit than his critics will admit.But the roasting has not deterred Mr. López Obrador, long a divisive figure in Mexican politics. He has insisted that there is more to gain from the visit than his critics will admit.
“Mexico needs to have a solid relationship with the United States, no matter who is the president,” said Erick Ordoñez, 29, a supporter of Mr. López Obrador who grew up in Chiapas and now lives in Barcelona. Mr. Ordoñez said the visit could help bring more foreign investment into Mexico and lift the economy.“Mexico needs to have a solid relationship with the United States, no matter who is the president,” said Erick Ordoñez, 29, a supporter of Mr. López Obrador who grew up in Chiapas and now lives in Barcelona. Mr. Ordoñez said the visit could help bring more foreign investment into Mexico and lift the economy.
“We need to benefit the Mexican people, with plans for trade, for creating jobs, for U.S. investment into Mexico,” he said.“We need to benefit the Mexican people, with plans for trade, for creating jobs, for U.S. investment into Mexico,” he said.
Mr. López Obrador has touted the importance of celebrating the revised North American Free Trade Agreement, which went into effect last week, at a moment when Mexico is in dire need of an economic revival. Mr. Trump has also done Mexico a few favors of late, sending hundreds of ventilators across the border and agreeing to help the country meet an obligation to cut oil production under a recent international agreement.Mr. López Obrador has touted the importance of celebrating the revised North American Free Trade Agreement, which went into effect last week, at a moment when Mexico is in dire need of an economic revival. Mr. Trump has also done Mexico a few favors of late, sending hundreds of ventilators across the border and agreeing to help the country meet an obligation to cut oil production under a recent international agreement.
“It’s a big gamble,” said Luis Rubio, the president of the Mexican Council of International Affairs. “If it doesn’t go well, if Trump talks about ‘the wall’ or something in that vein, López Obrador will be embarrassed and will return with his tail between his legs.”“It’s a big gamble,” said Luis Rubio, the president of the Mexican Council of International Affairs. “If it doesn’t go well, if Trump talks about ‘the wall’ or something in that vein, López Obrador will be embarrassed and will return with his tail between his legs.”
The timing of the trip has also been the subject of scrutiny among many in Mexico. The United States is only a few months away from a national election, coronavirus infections are surging on both sides of the border and officials close to both presidents have tested positive for the virus.The timing of the trip has also been the subject of scrutiny among many in Mexico. The United States is only a few months away from a national election, coronavirus infections are surging on both sides of the border and officials close to both presidents have tested positive for the virus.
Updated July 7, 2020 Updated July 16, 2020
The coronavirus can stay aloft for hours in tiny droplets in stagnant air, infecting people as they inhale, mounting scientific evidence suggests. This risk is highest in crowded indoor spaces with poor ventilation, and may help explain super-spreading events reported in meatpacking plants, churches and restaurants. It’s unclear how often the virus is spread via these tiny droplets, or aerosols, compared with larger droplets that are expelled when a sick person coughs or sneezes, or transmitted through contact with contaminated surfaces, said Linsey Marr, an aerosol expert at Virginia Tech. Aerosols are released even when a person without symptoms exhales, talks or sings, according to Dr. Marr and more than 200 other experts, who have outlined the evidence in an open letter to the World Health Organization.
Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days.
Scientists around the country have tried to identify everyday materials that do a good job of filtering microscopic particles. In recent tests, HEPA furnace filters scored high, as did vacuum cleaner bags, fabric similar to flannel pajamas and those of 600-count pillowcases. Other materials tested included layered coffee filters and scarves and bandannas. These scored lower, but still captured a small percentage of particles.
A commentary published this month on the website of the British Journal of Sports Medicine points out that covering your face during exercise “comes with issues of potential breathing restriction and discomfort” and requires “balancing benefits versus possible adverse events.” Masks do alter exercise, says Cedric X. Bryant, the president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit organization that funds exercise research and certifies fitness professionals. “In my personal experience,” he says, “heart rates are higher at the same relative intensity when you wear a mask.” Some people also could experience lightheadedness during familiar workouts while masked, says Len Kravitz, a professor of exercise science at the University of New Mexico.
The steroid, dexamethasone, is the first treatment shown to reduce mortality in severely ill patients, according to scientists in Britain. The drug appears to reduce inflammation caused by the immune system, protecting the tissues. In the study, dexamethasone reduced deaths of patients on ventilators by one-third, and deaths of patients on oxygen by one-fifth.
The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who don’t typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the country’s largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave.
So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement.
Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks.
A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study.
If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.)
If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.
Adding to the trip’s health risks is Mr. López Obrador’s preferred mode of transportation: In keeping with his image as a frugal public servant, the president plans to fly to Washington on a commercial jet.Adding to the trip’s health risks is Mr. López Obrador’s preferred mode of transportation: In keeping with his image as a frugal public servant, the president plans to fly to Washington on a commercial jet.
“You could become infected,” said Valeria Burgos, a small-business owner in Cuernavaca, a city south of Mexico’s capital. “This is not the moment for heads of state to be leaving their countries.”“You could become infected,” said Valeria Burgos, a small-business owner in Cuernavaca, a city south of Mexico’s capital. “This is not the moment for heads of state to be leaving their countries.”
But Ms. Burgos, 27, acknowledged that there might never be an ideal moment for a Mexican president to meet with Mr. Trump. During the U.S. elections in 2016, there was a similar uproar over the former Mexican president Enrique Peña Nieto’s decision to host Mr. Trump at Los Pinos, the Mexican White House.But Ms. Burgos, 27, acknowledged that there might never be an ideal moment for a Mexican president to meet with Mr. Trump. During the U.S. elections in 2016, there was a similar uproar over the former Mexican president Enrique Peña Nieto’s decision to host Mr. Trump at Los Pinos, the Mexican White House.
“That was a total disaster and an insult to Mexicans,” Ms. Burgos said. “And that was in our country. Imagine how it will be when our president goes to Trump’s country.”“That was a total disaster and an insult to Mexicans,” Ms. Burgos said. “And that was in our country. Imagine how it will be when our president goes to Trump’s country.”
Mr. López Obrador won the presidency in 2018 with the largest margin of victory in more than a decade, but his popularity has slipped in recent months as concerns over his handling of the pandemic have grown. Still, the Mexican president enjoys the approval of close to 60 percent of the population and a very loyal base.Mr. López Obrador won the presidency in 2018 with the largest margin of victory in more than a decade, but his popularity has slipped in recent months as concerns over his handling of the pandemic have grown. Still, the Mexican president enjoys the approval of close to 60 percent of the population and a very loyal base.
“For Mexico, it’s very politically important that Andrés Manuel is close to the United States,” said José Paniagua, a longtime supporter of Mr. López Obrador who lives in Mexico City. “This is a country that always has and always will be our neighbor,” Mr. Paniagua said.“For Mexico, it’s very politically important that Andrés Manuel is close to the United States,” said José Paniagua, a longtime supporter of Mr. López Obrador who lives in Mexico City. “This is a country that always has and always will be our neighbor,” Mr. Paniagua said.
“If the presidents didn’t meet it would hurt us both more, because in the end, Mexico and the United States will always be together.”“If the presidents didn’t meet it would hurt us both more, because in the end, Mexico and the United States will always be together.”