LatinNews Daily - 18 March 2025

*Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum has signed a decree enacting a constitutional reform that amends articles 4 and 27 of the constitution. The reform officially recognises corn as a fundamental element of national identity and prohibits the planting of genetically modified (GM) corn in the country. The reform was approved by a two-thirds majority in the chamber of deputies in February and in the senate earlier this month, along with more than 17 state congresses. It will take effect today (18 March), following its publication in the national gazette (DOF). The reform comes despite a dispute panel within the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) ruling in December against Mexico’s restrictions on GM corn imports for human and livestock uses, and analysts warn the decision could strain trade relations with the US, which exports US$5bn worth of GM yellow corn to Mexico annually. However, Sheinbaum has stood firm in the decision stating that, “the protection of biodiversity, food sovereignty, agroecological management must be prioritised, promoting humanistic scientific research, innovation, and traditional knowledge”.

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