Following the US request to “settle” in arbitration the “differences” arising from the sovereign Mexican decision to ban imports of transgenic maize intended for human consumption, the government of our country is certain that this will happen through this mechanism envisaged in the T-MEC will scientifically prove that this type of genetically modified grain is harmful to health.
For President López Obrador, it is “important” that the US government requested this body because “it’s not just about Mexico, it’s going to help consumers in this country and around the world.” What we’ve done, and therefore they disagreed, was to issue a decree prohibiting the use of yellow corn for human consumption. It can be used as fodder, but not for human consumption.”
That’s at the heart of Mexico’s decision, but the president has also politically contextualized why the US government made such a request and intends to throw all the meat on the grill: “I understand it’s pressure from big farmers that connected to the legislators.” who have a lot of influence. It’s like that in the United States, like here, but there in an open way, here in a covert way, the big corporations give money for their campaigns to congressmen, senators, presidents; So, these congressmen, these senators – it’s a system I think is wrong, but that’s their law and they have to be respected – are like their employees, more at their service than the people than the citizens. It’s all a distortion.
And those same legislators “also get money–not all, of course–from war industry tycoons, and therefore defend the arms race in Congress.” It’s a matter that doesn’t help, but well, yes. Now, due to pressure from those with great influence in Congress and government, they sponsor and promote scientists who become Nobel Prize winners. As such, their research is often endorsed by Nobel Prize winners because it is supported, funded, and promoted by those groups.”
In any case, he said, “the national government will not allow transgenic corn to be used to feed the people of Mexico.” Health comes first and we will abide by the resolution of those who are participating on the panel and decide. We will vote in favor of the adopted resolution as soon as we have evidence and everything we want on this subject is made public. What is our suggestion? That we form a joint research group to find out for sure whether it is transgenic maize and whether it is harmful to health or not. We claim yes, but we will form a common team. And we’re not violating the T-MEC, because it stipulates that you can go to the committees for such differences. It’s a very good opportunity to check this out. So it’s good that they’re now challenging our order that says we can’t use this corn for human consumption, because that way we can present evidence and make suggestions in this panel.”
With the Mexican government’s decision, American farmers lost much of their business because since the North American Free Trade Agreement came into effect (in January 1994), our country has been importing increasing quantities of corn, a staple of which Mexico was self-sufficient until before NAFTA (a trade mechanism that transformed the country’s manufacturing apparatus deformed, with rural areas taking first place (“completely liberated” since January 2008), which were massacred by the neoliberal regime.
Since then, with “Telecian modernity” and now with the T-MEC, Mexico has imported exorbitant amounts of food (corn foremost) in such a way that much or little that Mexicans put on their tables, half of it comes from abroad, mainly from the USA. It is therefore not in vain that the FAO includes our country among the net importers in this line, despite the fact that at the national level it has the potential to produce everything and for everyone.
The pieces of cake
Who said you shouldn’t ridicule politics? Of course it wasn’t Marcelo Ebrard, for in his mad desire for bullfighting he excelled in that field, although it’s true that plenty of twisted and unpresentable creatures crept into the mad campaign to promote Claudia Sheinbaum, from before and after now.
Twitter: @cafevega
