The Republic of Costa Rica is divided into 81 cantons administered by municipal councils. Over the last few years, 74 of these municipalities have passed ordinances prohibiting the cultivation of transgenic crops and other genetically modified organisms (GMOs). That 90 percent of Costa Rica’s territory is transgenic-free is a point of pride for anti-GMO activists; however, some legislators don’t think the municipalities should have jurisdiction to call the shots in this regard.

In October of 2013, a proposal on the issue of GMO seeds was introduced in plenary session of the Legislative Assembly. This proposal also aims to prohibit transgenic crops; however, it presents two caveats:

1. It imposes a moratorium on the planting of GMO seeds until they can be proven to cause no harm to human health.
2. It seeks to strip municipalities of their decision-making powers in relation to GMO seeds.

With regard to number one, municipalities in Costa Rica feel that legislators are missing the point. Most GMO fruits, vegetables and grains are probably harmless to humans on the basis of Homo sapiens being a resilient species. The problem, cantonal leaders assert, is the danger to soil and ecosystems where GMO crops are grown. To this effect, The Costa Rica Star has previously reported on the disastrous results of transgenic seeds bioengineered by Monsanto (which still does not have an office in Costa Rica).

With regard to number two, journalist Sharon Villalobos Gonzalez of news daily La Prensa Libre recently quoted a statement by Otto Guevara, former presidential candidate and leader of the Libertarian Movement, who actually supports the use of GMO seeds in Costa Rica:

“We are pro-transgenic and pro-GMO. This is not new biotechnology; we have lived with them for years and we now have effective medications thanks to genetic modifications.”

Legislator Guevara also feels that municipalities do not have jurisdiction to regulate GMOs in their cantons. Municipal council members disagree since the anti-GMO ordinances they have passed are examples of participatory democracy. Legislators have already been briefed by the Academy of Sciences in Costa Rica about the pros and cons of transgenic crops, and they will debate on this matter later this year.

Source: La Prensa Libre