Mexico president kicks off ‘new normal’ phase amid pandemic

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Amid a pandemic and the remnants of a tropical storm, Mexico President Andrés Manuel López Obrador kicked off Mexico’s return to a “new normal” Monday with his first road trip in two months as the nation began to gradually ease some virus-inspired restrictions.

López Obrador said he’s taking all necessary precautions — he drove the 1,000 miles from Mexico City over the weekend rather than flying — on a trip to promote construction of one of his signature infrastructure projects the Mayan Train.

While the federal government’s nationwide social distancing rule formally ended Monday, it is urging people in so-called “red” zones to maintain most of those measures — and so many people are falling ill and dying each day that those zones cover nearly the whole country.

Mexico is nearing 100,000 confirmed infections and nearly 10,000 deaths, both considered to be undercounts.

López Obrador plans to spend the week promoting the start of construction for the Mayan Train, which will whisk tourists from resort destinations like Cancun into the interior of the Yucatan Peninsula. It has been criticized as an environmental threat and faces opposition from indigenous communities.

While in Cancun, the president was also talking up what local officials hope is the quick return of tourists. Mexico’s most popular beach destination officially plans to reopen next week — albeit with social distancing restrictions such as a ban on buffets. Quintana Roo Gov. Carlos Manuel Joaquín Gonzalez said they’ve already started receiving reservations.

The remnants of Tropical Storm Amanda which left at least a dozen dead over the weekend in Central America were expected to dump rain on the Yucatan Peninsula and forecasters said it might reform within days over the southern Gulf of Mexico.