Mexican poet Natalia Toledo, daughter of 2005 Right Livelihood Laureate Francisco Toledo, welcomed President Claudia Sheinbaum’s initiative to protect all native varieties of corn from pesticides and genetic modifications. In line with Francisco’s lifelong dedication to protecting Mexican heritage and resisting the spread of genetically modified corn, the constitutional amendment proposal sent to Congress last week aims to uphold the crop as a symbol of the Mexican people’s identity and traditional food.
“The struggle of ‘El Maestro’ (teacher) Toledo was always in that direction at the time of supporting our local economy”, said Natalia about her father’s lifetime efforts.
For Natalia, “President Claudia Sheinbaum’s recent announcement to protect native corn, “is a form of justice for people in Mexico.”
Francisco’s activism largely focused on his native state of Oaxaca. It was precisely there that Sheinbaum announced the bill she sent to the National Congress to ban genetically modified corn and protect the nearly 60 varieties of native corn so far identified in Mexico.
“It’s a great commitment from the government to eliminating genetically modified corn from the Mexican fields and tables, said Natalia. “That is poison and has nothing to do with our diet as Mexicans.”
Francisco founded several art institutions in Oaxaca, but overall, he was an active promoter, sponsor and disseminator of the cultural values. His exhibition “Corn of our livelihood” aimed to raise awareness about the importance of defending and preserving native corn, the basis of the Mexican diet.
He rejected genetically modified crops through art, but his activism went beyond galleries. To prevent the US fast food chain McDonald’s from settling in Oaxaca, Toledo collected signatures in the streets and shared free tamales, a typical corn flour-based food, with people passing by.
“Toledo removed McDonald’s from the centre of Oaxaca, defending corn, our art, but also our food culture, which is very rich and balanced,” said Natalia. “I think it is a very good path for Claudia Sheinbaum to walk along.”
Sheinbaum also shared that the constitutional reforms will include the promotion of agroecological sowing. “Without corn, there is no country,” she said.
Natalia emphasised that native corn isn’t the only crop that needs to be protected.
“We do not have to consume the poison and junk food others generate,” said Natalia. “We have to generate our food. Corn is the first, corn is essential, but there are also beans, amaranth, and all the grains that we Mexicans consume. I wish they could decree their protection altogether because we need to be stronger and reinforce our self-sufficiency in food science, especially now with the punishments and tariffs coming from the United States.”