Mexico’s Virus Czar Seen Playing a Dangerous Game With Numbers

Deputy health minister has repeatedly said curve is flattening
Lopez Gatell, with daily TV appearances, retains popularity

Hugo Lopez Gatell, Mexico’s deputy health minister, speaks during a news conference with President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador at the National Palace in Mexico City in March.Photographer: Alejandro Cegarra/Bloomberg

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By Andrea Navarro

June 17, 2020 at 1:07 PM UTC

Updated on

June 18, 2020 at 1:33 AM UTC

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When Mexico’s coronavirus czar said last week that case growth in the nation’s capital had stabilized, few found cause to cheer. Hugo Lopez Gatell had claimed such victories before.