The president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, announced that she has already sent to Congress the initiative to reform the Constitution to prohibit the planting of transgenic corn in the country, despite the recent ruling against it in the dispute under the Treaty between Mexico, the United States and Canada (T-MEC).
“Today, here in Puerto Escondido (Oaxaca), I want to inform you that the constitutional reform for the protection of our corn has already been sent to the Congress of the Union,” the president said in a message on social networks.
Sheinbaum pointed out that the reform seeks to modify articles 4 and 27 of the Constitution that establish corn as an element of national identity and at the same time, prohibit the planting of transgenic corn.
“Without corn, there is no country. Corn, its 59 races that have been found so far, are fundamental elements of our country, of our history, of our people. It was created here, in Mesoamerica,” he emphasized.
Therefore, he said, this initiative seeks to protect this product in the country.
The reform is proposed after the final report of the group made up of three T-MEC specialists was revealed last December, which concluded that the measures implemented by Mexico to prohibit the import of genetically modified corn do not comply with the international and scientific standards required by the treaty. .
Substitution of Transgenic Corn
The Mexican Government has promised that it will abide by the resolution, the result of a controversy initiated by the United States and joined by Canada, by challenging two aspects of the Mexican decree on the restriction of glyphosate and transgenic corn from 2023.
The dispute has since revolved around the Mexican Government’s measures that prohibit the use of genetically modified corn for human consumption and establish a gradual substitution.
According to the panel, these measures are not based on an adequate risk assessment or the necessary scientific evidence, which constitutes a violation of the USMCA principles, which require science-based trade policies.
Under the rules of the treaty, Mexico had a period of 45 days, starting December 20, to comply with the ruling and adapt its measures in accordance with the panel’s conclusions.
However, this resolution only issues a criterion on a decree published in 2023, but does not limit Mexico to reforming its Constitution.
This week, the head of Government of Mexico City, Clara Brugada, signed a decree that declares the country’s capital as a “territory free” of transgenic or genetically modified corn.
With information from EFE.
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