Monsanto’s GM corn planting is partially suspended in Mexico

Last week, the Second Unitary Tribunal of Mexico has issued an appeal sentence that orders that the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fishery and Food not to grant allowances to release GM corn until a collective judgement promoted by scientists, experts, peasants and organizations is resolved.

The decision revoked the denial to a definitive suspension and a provisional suspension. However, after the challenge it was demonstrated that the “illegal presence of GMOs in native corn crops,” informed the Maize Collectivity, which added that the applicants proved to have violated Mexican and international laws.”

René Sánchez Galindo, one of the lawyers in this case, informed that the movement that seeks to break the agricultural industry takes seven years, winning a battle against Monsanto, Syngenta, Pioneer, DuPont and Dow, sued since 2013.

"It was a large suit, but we went step by step. It has not been easy. Now we will wait for actions of them. We are now going to the master record; that is: the judgement. Because we are at a level of suspension, it is not a definitive suspension, so it is important to win the definitive sentence,” declared Sánchez Galindo.

The Collectivity of Maize informed that in 2009 there was a release of GMO in an experimental form and after that the scientific community request a public scrutiny of these actions, but nothing was achieved. On the other hand, with the trial of the Second Unitary Tribunal in Civil and Administrative matters, if a company wants to release GMOs it would be subject to monthly evaluations of the Judicial Power and with the contribution of scientists of the collective demand would give the authority to grant allowances.

Even though, GM crops that use the glyphosate herbicide will be subject to judicial control and plaintiff scientific control.

René Sánchez informed that the industry could promote amparo trials before the courts of higher hierarchy, but given the experience with the provisional suspension, it is possible that no protection would go forward.

"With our past experience, when the suspension was provisional, we won all the amparo trials. It is very important that resolutions that the tribunal of appeals recognizes that it was demonstrated that the unlawful presence of transgenic crops; therefore, if it could be contained, how it would be contained now? This is our central argument. This was demonstrated and will give us protection, that is, the suspension will continue,” he explained.