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Open Letter from Diverse Women for Diversity to World Leaders

We, the women of the world, meeting together in Dehradun, India as the ¨Diverse of Women for Diversity¨, and representing 17 nationalities and multiple cultures, welcome and support the decision of the Mexican government through the presidential decree to phase out the use of GMOs and glyphosate.

We are outraged and dismayed that the Government of the United States is trying to pressure the government of Mexico to impose GMO transgenic Corn in violation of Mexico´s sovereignty and its sovereign rights enshrined in international agreements.

We as diverse women of the world working for protection of Biodiversity and resisting the imposition of GMOs which destroy our biodiversity and our food sovereignty support the Mexican government, condemn the bullying by United States and the biotechnology industry to force GMOs on Mexico and the world violating   the Convention of Biological Diversity and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety which enshrine sovereignty and the precautionary principle. We also ask the European Commission to stand by the decisions they have made under the precautionary principle.

We call on the government to:

  • Stop this strategy of pressuring the Government of Mexico to accept GMO corn. Mexico is the genetic reservoir of maize globally, which we must preserve.
  • Recognize and accept the policy decisions democratically adopted by a sovereign country
  • Acknowledge that the policies of Mexico are based on solid international scientific evidence demonstrating the harmful impacts of GMOs and glyphosate on human and environmental health.
  • Recognize that the biodiversity of maize in Mexico is essential to food sovereignty not only in Mexico, but globally. No GMO should be introduced in a country which is a centre of diversity.

We as diverse women were born as movement in the defense of biocultural diversity and resist GMOs everywhere since GMOs, pesticides and the industrial food system are the single biggest reason for the disappearance of biodiversity. We will continue our struggle in defense of life, diversity and freedom.

Carta abierta de Mujeres Diversas por la Diversidad a los líderes mundiales

Nosotras, las mujeres del mundo, reunidas en Dehradun, India como ¨Diversas Mujeres por la Diversidad¨, y representando 17 nacionalidades y múltiples culturas, damos la bienvenida y apoyamos la decisión del gobierno mexicano a través del decreto presidencial de eliminar gradualmente el uso de OGMs y glifosato.

Estamos indignadas y consternadas de que el Gobierno de los Estados Unidos esté tratando de presionar al gobierno de México para imponer el Maíz transgénico OGM en violación de la soberanía de México y sus derechos soberanos consagrados en los acuerdos internacionales.

Nosotras como mujeres diversas del mundo que trabajamos por la protección de la Biodiversidad y resistimos la imposición de OGMs que destruyen nuestra biodiversidad y nuestra soberanía alimentaria apoyamos al gobierno mexicano, condenamos la intimidación de Estados Unidos y de la industria biotecnológica para imponer los OGMs a México y al mundo violando el Convenio de Diversidad Biológica y el Protocolo de Cartagena sobre Bioseguridad que consagran la soberanía y el principio de precaución. También pedimos a la Comisión Europea que mantenga las decisiones que han tomado bajo el principio de precaución.

Pedimos al Gobierno lo siguiente:

– Detener esta estrategia de presionar al Gobierno de México para que acepte el maíz transgénico. México es el reservorio genético del maíz a nivel mundial, el cual debemos preservar.

– Reconocer y aceptar las decisiones políticas adoptadas democráticamente por un país soberano.

– Reconocer que las políticas de México se basan en sólidas evidencias científicas internacionales que demuestran los impactos nocivos de los transgénicos y el glifosato en la salud humana y ambiental.

– Reconocer que la biodiversidad del maíz en México es esencial para la soberanía alimentaria no sólo en México, sino a nivel mundial. Ningún transgénico debe ser introducido en un país que es centro de diversidad.

Nosotras como mujeres diversas nacimos como movimiento en defensa de la diversidad biocultural y nos resistimos a los transgénicos en todo el mundo, ya que los transgénicos, los pesticidas y el sistema alimentario industrial son la principal razón de la desaparición de la biodiversidad. Continuaremos nuestra lucha en defensa de la vida, la diversidad y la libertad.

8 de marzo de 2023. Dehradun, India

Oficina de Prensa de Navdanya International
info@navdanyainternational.org

Nuevo reto a EEUU: México prohíbe maíz transgénico para alimento humano

El Gobierno Federal Mexicano emite nuevas disposiciones para prohibir el uso de maíz transgénico y glifosato.

El Gobierno Mexicano emitió y publicó un nuevo decreto presidencial para revocar y no dar más autorizaciones para el uso de maíz genéticamente modificado, específicamente en productos destinados a la alimentación humana, así como el uso del herbicida glifosato, con una transición gradual. Esto ante presiones sobre la primera disposición al respecto emitida en el 2020.

Mercedes López, directora de la Asociación de Consumidores Orgánicos platicó acerca de la lucha que se está realizando para prohibir el uso de maíz transgénico en México.

México tenía hasta el 14 de febrero para responder a la exigencia desde el Gobierno de Estados Unidos sobre una explicación científica que sustente el decreto presidencial sobre las prohibiciones previstas al maíz transgénico y al glifosato. La respuesta desde la Secretaría de Economía fue emitida en un comunicado con los detalles del nuevo decreto.

SEGUIR LEYENDO EN HISPAN TV

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The Science-based Evidence to Ban Glyphosate and GMOs

The U.S. Bullies Mexico over its Sovereign Right to Ban Glyphosate and GMO Corn

Mexico announced that it was phasing out the use of glyphosate herbicides, the cultivation of GMO corn, and the import of GMO corn for human consumption and livestock feed by the end of 2024. The reasons for the decree given by Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador are to protect the health of Mexico’s consumers and small-scale farmers, the environment, and the purity of Mexico’s native corn varieties.

The decree states, “With the objective of achieving self-sufficiency and food sovereignty, our country must be oriented towards establishing sustainable and culturally adequate agricultural production, through the use of agroecological practices and inputs that are safe for human health, the country’s biocultural diversity and the environment, as well as congruent with the agricultural traditions of Mexico.”

Bayer-Monsanto and Dow have since launched 43 lawsuits in Mexico attempting to overturn the presidential decree.

The GMO/pesticide cartels fearing that Mexico will set a precedent for other countries to enact similar restrictions, are puppeteering agencies and officials within the U.S. government to pressure Mexico to abandon its plans. This is not the first time the German-based Bayer-Monsanto has used its captured U.S. government officials and agencies to act on its behalf. In 2019, the corporation succeeded in using U.S. officials to pressure Thailand into reversing its ban on glyphosate.

According to Reuters, the new U.S. agriculture trade chief, Doug McKalip, has given Mexico until February 14 to respond to the U.S. demand to justify the science behind the ban on CMO corn and glyphosate.

“We want to make sure that they do the science, show their work, and make decisions based upon risk assessments,” McKalip said.

This paper shows that it is the U.S. Government that has ignored an extensive body of science showing why GMOs and glyphosate should be banned.

The Scientific Evidence Justifying Mexico Ban on GMOs and Glyphosate

There are an enormous number of published scientific studies showing that GMOs and their associated pesticides a responsible for multiple serious health problems for people, animals, and the wider environment.

The widespread adoption of GMO crops in the U.S. has resulted in a massive increase in the application of glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, as the primary method of weed control.

The above graph shows that the use of glyphosate, the active ingredient of Roundup, rocketed upwards in the late 1990s when Roundup-ready GMO crops were introduced.

The Credible Peer-reviewed Lifetime of Study of GMOs and Roundup

 The image above is of a rat with large mammary tumors due to consuming glyphosate at the usual levels found in food. The tumors on the right-hand side, starting from the top, result from just eating GMO corn,  GMO corn with Roundup, and just Roundup. Source: Séralini et al.

 Séralini et al. is the only credible, independent, non-industry funded, peer-reviewed lifetime feeding study of GMOs and Roundup. It found mammary and other tumors, liver and kidney damage resulting from regular exposure to minute amounts of  Roundup or a diet containing GMO corn or both – similar to the typical exposures people get from food.

All the female rats in the study that were fed GMOs or Roundup or both (Treated Group) developed mammary tumors and died earlier than those fed non-GMO food without Roundup (Control Group), except for one rat who died early of an ovarian tumor.

 Treated males had four times the number of tumors that were large enough to be felt by hand than the controls, and these occurred up to six hundred days earlier.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer

The International Agency for Research on Cancer reviewed numerous scientific studies.  It gave glyphosate the second-highest rating for Cancer – Group 2A

This means it causes animal cancer and has some evidence of cancer in humans, most notably non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

A study conducted by Flower et al. examined the levels of cancer in the children of people who sprayed glyphosate for weed control. They found that their children had increased levels of all childhood cancers, including all lymphomas such as non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

A case-controlled study by Swedish scientists Lennart Hardell and Mikael Eriksson also linked non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma to exposure to various pesticides and herbicides, including glyphosate. The link between glyphosate and non-Hodgkin lymphoma has resulted in major court cases, most of which Bayer-Monsanto has lost. Millions of dollars were awarded to the victims.

Genetically Engineered Crops, Glyphosate, and the Deterioration of Health in the United States of America

Dr. Nancy Swanson, myself, and co-authors Jon Abrahamson and Bradley Wallet published a peer-reviewed paper, “Genetically engineered crops, glyphosate and the deterioration of health in the United States of America,” showing how glyphosate and GMOs are linked to over 20 chronic diseases in the U.S. In the study, U.S. government databases were searched for genetically engineered crop data, glyphosate application data, and disease epidemiological data. This was correlated and showed numerous diseases linked to the increased use of glyphosate and GMOs. A standard accepted statistical analysis showed that the odds of glyphosate and GMOs not being the cause of these diseases was 10,000 to 1. On top of these, numerous studies are confirming the link between GMOs and glyphosate with these diseases.

We compiled this data into graphs showing the increase in diseases, glyphosate, and GMOs. We also added trend lines in green to show that these diseases are increasing since the increased use of genetically engineered (GE) corn and soy, and glyphosate.

The graphs below show an increase in cancers.

Autism and Dementia

Autism and dementia have reached epidemic proportions in the U.S. The graphs below clearly show the link between the massive increase in the use of glyphosate and GMOs since the 1990s and the rapid increase in these diseases.

Nerve Cell Damage

Researchers have proven that exposure to minute amounts of glyphosate damages developing nerve cells.

The image above, from Coullery et al., illustrates how glyphosate damages nerve development. The glyphosate-exposed cells had shorter and unbranched axons, (the long extended ‘arms’ of the nerve) and less complex dendritic arbors (the smaller ‘fingers’ coming out of the body of the cell). It is clear from the image that the cells exposed to glyphosate do not develop properly and, therefore, cannot work effectively.

The scientists identified the cause by which glyphosate affects nerve development and stated that it cannot be reversed. The major concern is that the brain is the largest collection of nerves in the human body and is still developing in unborn, newborn, and growing children. Exposure to small amounts of glyphosate in food can adversely affect the brain’s normal development, leading to the suite of major issues that we see in children, such as autism spectrum, bipolar spectrum, ADHD, and other developmental and behavioral issues.

Adult brains are constantly renewing brain cells. These nerve cells are also adversely affected by glyphosate. The graph above shows a strong link between the increase in glyphosate and deaths from dementia.

Endocrine Disruption – Disruption to Hormones

Gasnier et al. reported endocrine-disrupting actions of glyphosate at 0.5 ppm. According to the authors, this is “800 times lower than the level authorized in some food or feed (400 ppm, USEPA, 1998).”

Professor Séralini’s study published in Environmental Sciences Europe found that both GM maize and Roundup act as endocrine disrupters, and their consumption resulted in female rats dying at a rate two to three times higher than the control animals. The pituitary gland was the second most disabled organ and the sex hormonal balance was modified in females fed with the GMO and Roundup treatments.

Disruption of Metabolic Pathways

One of the most significant studies was published by Samsel and Seneff in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Entropy in 2013. This comprehensive review, titled “Glyphosate’s Suppression of Cytochrome P450 Enzymes and Amino Acid Biosynthesis by the Gut Microbiome: Pathways to Modern Diseases,” showed how glyphosate disrupted numerous biochemical pathways within the human body, including gut microorganisms, and consequently could lead to numerous diseases.

Studies show that disruptions of the hormone and metabolic pathways are major causes of obesity, in that they disrupt the normal control mechanisms that regulate overeating, sugar levels, and body fat metabolism. Science clearly shows that glyphosate is one of the chemicals that cause these disruptions.

Diabetes

The rise in diabetes is directly linked to obesity. Most obese people end up with diabetes due to overloading the hormonal mechanisms that regulate blood sugar. Over time they begin to fail, resulting in dangerous increases in blood sugar.

Disruption of the Gut Microbiome

Samsel and Seneff’s paper identified how glyphosate disrupted the gut microbiome, causing the suppression of biosynthesis of cytochrome P450 enzymes and key amino acids. In a later paper, “Glyphosate, Pathways to Modern Diseases II: Celiac Sprue and Gluten Intolerance,” Samsel and Seneff showed that the current increase in celiac disease and gluten intolerance in people was linked to glyphosate’s adverse effects on the gut microbiome. They highlighted that glyphosate is patented as a biocide, and consequently, it kills the beneficial gut bacteria, leading to a rise in intestinal diseases.

Krüger et al. showed that glyphosate affects the microbiome of horses and cows. Shehata et al. found the same effects in poultry; the researchers state, “Highly pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella Entritidis, Salmonella Gallinarum, Salmonella Typhimurium, Clostridium perfringens and Clostridium botulinum are highly resistant to glyphosate. However, most of the beneficial bacteria such as Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, Bacillus badius, Bifidobacterium adolescentis and Lactobacillus spp. were found to be moderate to highly susceptible.” Both groups of researchers postulated that glyphosate is associated with the increase in botulism-mediated diseases in these domestic farm animals.

Inflammatory bowel diseases are rising along with deaths from intestinal infections. Glyphosate’s disruption of the gut microbiome must be seen as a significant cause.

Kidney and Liver Disease

The growth in kidney and liver diseases is a major chronic illness epidemic. The graph below clearly shows the relationship between GMOs, glyphosate, and the rapid increase in deaths from kidney disease in the U.S. Deaths from kidney disease fell until the widespread increase of glyphosate and GMOs.

In the lifetime feeding study of rats conducted by Séralini et al. the treated males displayed liver congestions and necrosis at rates 2.5 to 5.5 times higher than the controls, as well as marked and severe kidney damage at rates generally 1.3 to 2.3 greater than the controls.

The image above shows kidneys and livers that have been damaged by Roundup (glyphosate), GMO corn, and both. In a later published study designed to understand why Roundup and glyphosate-based herbicides caused kidney and liver damage in rats, scientists discovered that ultra-low doses of these herbicides disrupted the functions of numerous genes, which resulted in changes consistent with multiple kidney and liver disease problems.

The researchers stated, “Our results suggest that chronic exposure to a GBH (glyphosate-based herbicides) in an established laboratory animal toxicity model system at an ultra-low, environmental dose can result in liver and kidney damage with potential significant health implications for animal and human populations.”

Conclusion

Science shows that GMOs and glyphosate cause multiple serious chronic diseases in the United States. Instead of bullying Mexico to accept these dangerous products, the U.S. regulatory authorities should do their jobs to protect the American people from the harm they cause by banning them.

¿Cuándo la prohibición de transgénicos y glifosato?

Piden a Presidencia y a Semarnat estatus del Decreto Presidencial 

Ciudad de México, 15 de octubre de 2020.- En el marco del Día Mundial de la Alimentación que se celebra el 16 de octubre,  Greenpeace México y la Campaña Nacional Sin Maíz no hay País, hacen un llamado urgente al presidente de la República, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), a emitir el Decreto Presidencial que prohíbe la presencia de transgénicos y glifosato en nuestro país, a fin de  avanzar hacia una producción agroecológica que garantice tanto la autosuficiencia y soberanía alimentaria, como los derechos humanos de las mexicanas y los mexicanos a una alimentación saludable, local, diversa, natural, culturalmente adecuada, que nos permita preservar la herencia ancestral de los pueblos originarios en torno al maíz y otros cultivos.

Es tiempo de saldar la deuda histórica con la diversidad de semillas nativas en México. Por eso, es urgente  la prohibición inmediata de los transgénicos y la prohibición progresiva del glifosato para 2024.

En ese sentido, numerosas organizaciones, ciudadanos (as), científicos (as), campesinos (as), agricultores (as), investigadores (as), consumidores (as), académicos (as), artistas e intelectuales que han luchado por más de 21 años contra los transgénicos y el glifosato en México, pidieron a AMLO  honrar el compromiso que ha realizado públicamente de emitir un Decreto al respecto (1).

El llamado también va dirigido a la titular de la Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (Semarnat), María Luisa Albores, a quien a través de una misiva (2), las organizaciones de la sociedad civil en conjunto expresaron su preocupación por los efectos negativos en la salud y el medio ambiente, ocasionados por el modelo de producción industrial basado en la sobreexplotación de los recursos naturales, el uso de semillas genéticamente modificadas y el uso indiscriminado de agrotóxicos.

“Nos dirigimos a usted para consultar el estatus del Decreto Presidencial para la prohibición de los transgénicos y del glifosato, mencionado por el Dr. Víctor Manuel Toledo Manzur en su mensaje oficial de retiro de la Semarnat, del cual usted fue testigo. Las organizaciones firmantes (3) reiteramos la urgencia de la publicación del Decreto Presidencial para proteger la integridad de México como Centro de Origen del maíz y de numerosos cultivos, entre ellos el chile, el frijol, la calabaza, la vainilla, el algodón, el aguacate, el amaranto, el chayote, el cacao y el maguey. Estas especies de plantas son esenciales en el mundo y se tiene que buscar su conservación para que estén disponibles en el presente y para las futuras generaciones”, se señala en la carta.

Para enfatizar la urgencia de que se promulgue este Decreto, miembros de Greenpeace México y de la Campaña Nacional Sin Maíz no hay País estuvieron en Yautepec, Morelos donde desplegaron la imagen del Dios del Maíz sobre un campo de milpas y la leyenda “Por la soberanía alimentaria #MéxicoSinTrangénicos” 

Este Día de la Alimentación se celebra la diversidad de alimentos que tenemos, la diversidad de platillos y la cultura y tradiciones que gira en torno a ellos, pero también es una  oportunidad para hacer una alerta respecto a que la alimentación, tal como es la práctica común, con grandes cantidades de productos ultraprocesados y la forma en que estos se producen, está teniendo efectos negativos en el ambiente y contribuyendo al cambio climático.

Greenpeace México y la Campaña Nacional Sin Maíz no hay País consideramos que el presidente Andrés Manuel López Obrador, tiene la oportunidad de cumplir con sus compromisos de campaña y promulgar dicho Decreto, que protege los derechos humanos a la alimentación, al medio ambiente sano, a la salud y a la biodiversidad, entre otros, de las comunidades campesinas, indígenas, consumidoras y, en general, de todas las personas.

Es momento de aprender a producir lo que necesitamos de manera que se pueda preservar la naturaleza y los servicios ecosistémicos que ésta nos brinda, para las futuras generaciones.

Notas:
1.- El 12 de agosto de 2020 durante la conferencia de prensa matutina el primer mandatario reiteró el compromiso de que no habrá en México organismos genéticamente modificados (OGMs)
2.- Carta completa dirigida a la titular de Semarnat, María Luisa Albores disponible en https://storage.googleapis.com/planet4-mexico-stateless/2020/10/28a8081b-carta-ma.-luisa-albores_decreto-.pdf
3.- 90 firmas de organizaciones, colectivos, investigadorxs y personas fisicas. Para consultar la lista completa https://storage.googleapis.com/planet4-mexico-stateless/2020/10/28a8081b-carta-ma.-luisa-albores_decreto-.pdf
Publicado con permiso de Greenpeace México