Hugo López-Gatell to the WHO? A disastrous move that shakes the sensitive health sector.

In a sector as delicate as Mexico's healthcare system, where the destruction of the previous administration left enormous gaps in patient care, such as shortages of supplies, extreme austerity, and precarious public services, any decision regarding those responsible resonates strongly. The rumor that the controversial former Undersecretary of Health, Hugo López-Gatell, could be appointed as Mexico's representative to the World Health Organization (WHO) sparked a storm of reactions. But where does this rumor come from, and how viable is it?

The spark that ignited the controversy was a post on X by María Elena Álvarez-Buylla, former director of the now-defunct Conacyt (National Council of State for the Defense of National Identity) and now a professor at the UNAM Institute of Ecology, congratulating López-Gatell on his alleged appointment as representative to the WHO/PAHO in Geneva, highlighting his management during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, neither she nor Gatell hold positions in Claudia Sheinbaum's current administration, adding to the doubt.

The news spread rapidly on social media, but was denied by the president of the Senate's Board of Directors, Gerardo Fernández Noroña, who denied that an official proposal had been sent to the Senate, which is necessary for approving diplomatic appointments. To date, neither the Mexican government nor the WHO/PAHO have officially confirmed the appointment; the matter remains a matter of speculation.

But it also came after another controversial appointment: that of Juan Ferrer, former director of Insabi, as ambassador to UNESCO in Paris. Ferrer, the architect of the demise of Seguro Popular and the creation of the failed Insabi, left a healthcare system in ruins, having nearly emptied the fund that covered high-cost illnesses for non-insured individuals, and a multi-million-dollar debt to medical providers, which still hinders solutions to the drug shortage. President Sheinbaum promised over the weekend to resolve the problem by July 2025, but after repeated failures to deliver, the credibility of these promises has eroded.

Gatell's alleged appointment has sparked speculation about a possible attempt by the hardline wing of Morena, aligned with former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, to position controversial figures. Neither Ferrer, Gatell, nor Buylla are part of Sheinbaum's team, which is more oriented toward technical and less ideological profiles. This has led some to interpret the rumor as a maneuver to remove Gatell from the national political spotlight, where his image continues to be criticized.

It should be noted that Gatell became self-employed with the WHO in 2020, when he was appointed to a panel for the International Health Regulations for four years, an unpaid technical role with no permanent presence in Geneva. It should be clarified that Mexico's representation at the WHO falls primarily to the Secretary of Health, currently David Kershenobich, who is responsible for attending the World Health Assembly (WHA) or delegating to someone else. Furthermore, WHO advisory committees are not assigned by country, but rather through direct invitations or open calls, as was the case with Dr. Julio Frenk in 1998, personally invited by then-Director-General Gro Harlem Brundtland, without intervention from the Mexican government.

At the WHO, member countries participate through delegations to the WHA, the Executive Board, and PAHO regional committees. Mexico, as an active member, sends delegations led by senior officials from the Ministry of Health and the Permanent Mission in Geneva. At the 77th WHA in 2024, Mexico was represented by the director of Cenaprece and the ambassador in Geneva, promoting initiatives such as a Food Systems Public Policy Network. There is no evidence that Gatell will hold a position in these bodies in 2025.

Positions at the WHO, when available, are filled based on professional merit, not government appointments. For example, Frenk, who was a candidate for the position of director-general of the WHO in 2003, competed on his own merits, not as an official representative of Mexico. In this sense, the idea that Gatell would be "sent" to the WHO by the Mexican government lacks logic within the organization's processes.