Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum did not lead her daily morning press conference on Friday after developing a fever, cough, and severe flu-like symptoms.
Sheinbaum announced her absence in a social media post, reassuring the public that her condition was not serious but that doctors had advised her to rest.
"I want to let you know that I woke up with a very bad case of the flu, a cough and fever," Sheinbaum wrote. "It is nothing serious, but doctors have recommended that I rest."
The president said the press conference would instead be coordinated by Interior Secretary Rosa Icela Rodríguez Velázquez and Joel Omar Vázquez Herrera, director general of Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History, known as INAH.
Sheinbaum urged the public to follow the briefing, noting that Rodríguez and Vázquez Herrera would discuss archaeological discoveries. She did not provide additional details about the findings in her message.
"They will talk about archaeological discoveries. Don't miss it," the president wrote.
Sheinbaum, who normally leads the weekday morning briefing from the National Palace, said she expected her absence to be brief and anticipated returning to work the following day.
"I am sure that tomorrow I will resume my activities," she wrote, ending the message with "a warm hug from a distance."
Les informo que amanecí con gripa muy fuerte, tos y fiebre; no es nada grave, pero los médicos me han recomendado reposo, por lo que la conferencia de hoy estará coordinada por la secretaria de Gobernación, Rosa Icela Rodríguez Velázquez, y el director general del INAH, Joel Omar…
— Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo (@Claudiashein) August 21, 2026
The president's daily news conference, commonly known as the "mañanera," is one of the Mexican government's principal platforms for announcing policies, responding to current events and taking questions from reporters. Sheinbaum continued the format established by her predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, after taking office in October 2024.
Her decision to hand Friday's conference to Rodríguez placed one of the country's most senior Cabinet officials in charge of the event. As interior secretary, Rodríguez oversees an office responsible for domestic policy and coordination across several areas of the federal government.
Vázquez Herrera's participation reflected the focus of the day's presentation. As head of INAH, he oversees the federal institution responsible for researching, protecting, and preserving Mexico's archaeological, anthropological, and historical heritage.
No changes to Sheinbaum's longer-term schedule were immediately announced. Her message suggested she planned to return to her regular public agenda once the brief period of medically recommended rest was over.
