Mexico

Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador quietly rocked the agribusiness world with his New Year’s Eve decree to phase out the use of the herbicide glyphosate and the cultivation of genetically modified corn. His administration sent an even stronger aftershock two weeks later, clarifying that the government would also phase out GM corn imports in three years. The ban would include not just corn for human consumption but yellow corn destined primarily for livestock. Under NAFTA, the United States has seen a 400% increase in corn exports to Mexico, the vast majority of genetically modified yellow dent corn.

The bold policy moves fulfil a campaign promise by Mexico’s populist president, whose agricultural policies have begun to favour Mexican producers, particularly small-scale farmers, and protect consumers alarmed by the rise of obesity and chronic diseases associated with high-fat, high-sugar processed foods.

Andrés Manuel López Obrador said Sunday he has tested positive for COVID-19 and that the symptoms are mild. Mr López Obrador, writing on Twitter, said he would continue to carry out his official duties, including holding a call with President Vladimir Putin that is set for Monday. According to local media, hours before disclosing that he had contracted the virus, Mr López Obrador, who flies commercial on all official trips, sat coach in a flight from San Luís Potosí to Mexico City reports.

Mexico's Covid-19 death toll has surpassed 90,000, with health officials saying that the actual number of people who have died from the virus is likely higher due to a lack of testing. As of Thursday, the country has reported a total of 906,863 cases and 90,309 deaths.

The Mexican Senate approved the ruling that the person who exercises the parental authority, guardianship or custody will be obliged to ensure that the minors receive the referred vaccines unless there is a certified medical justification to the contrary.

In case of failure to comply without medical justification, the procurator's offices for the protection of minors may intervene to make use of the powers conferred by law in this area to carry out actions aimed at making the vaccination effective.

In order to fight high numbers of obesity and diabetes in children, the Mexican state of Oaxaca has banned all sales of junk food and sugary drinks to children.

According to the official health data of Oaxaca, the state is one in Mexico with the highest rate of obese children and has the second-highest rate in adults and ist the first Mexican state to enact such ban. The new law prohibits people from selling, distributing and promoting these unhealthy products to children. People breaking the law can face monetary fines and closure of the business. In repeated cases, they can also face jail time.

The regional congress of Mexi City has approved a law that outlaws and criminalizes gay conversion therapy. This includes all methods that have been used in the past to try changing the sexual orientation of a person such as electroshock therapy, psychological counseling and religious instructions.

People that still offer the practice will face up to five years in prison and even longer sentences if the practices is used on minors.

Mexico’s Health Ministry on Saturday reported that in the last 24 hours, 539 deaths and 6,394 new Covid-19 infections were registered, bringing the total in the country to 295,268 cases and 34,730 deaths.

The undersecretary of Health, Hugo López-Gatell, also specified that 45% of the intensive care beds are occupied nationwide, with Tabasco leading the list, followed by Nuevo León, Nayarit, Colima and Veracruz.

Mexican President Andres Manuel López Obrador is set to attend the USMCA celebrations with Donald Trump in the White House. López Obrador, who previously stated that private presidential planes were for the "neoliberal elite", will fly commercially to Washington.

Giovanni López was detained last month by the Jalisco police for not wearing mouth cover and was later killed by ten officers. His family had received threats and a bribe offered by the town's major to let go of the case. Their current whereabouts are unknown after some neighbours declared they left their house out of fear.

Other 38 protestors detained last Friday after a demonstration outside the General Prosecutor's Office in Jalisco have gone missing since.

Enríquez taught indigenous languages, was an indigenous rights activist and the founder of El Cafetal, a community radio on which he often criticized the local authorities. He received death threats in February and was shot on 2nd May. He was the fourth journalist to be gunned down in Mexico this year.