Debate On the Seed Law. Shipment of Transgenic Seeds Arrives in Venezuela

Preliminary message by Aana Wainjirawa, of La Guarura, Venezuelan revolutionary newspaper.

We publish for the debate of the purposeful efforts of collectives that are currently in discussion over a possible Seed Law that is constructed from the grassroots. We do not subscribe to the epithets of power that adorn [this] statement in an effort to seek a greater receptivity from the government, such as “legislative people” or “worker president,” as we consider them unnecessary in the struggle for a political culture that is autonomous of corporate sectors that are encrusted in the heights of authority, who oblige us to be on constant alert for reasons addressed in the first paragraph of the below statement. These [epithets], above all, are void of truth and virtue, according to our analysis of the current reality of the balance of powers [in Venezuela].

-Aana Wainjirawa

La Guarura

May 2nd, 2014 Statement

From within the collectives we are provoking a grassroots constituent debate for a new revolutionary seed law, built from the bottom by the legislating people, in defense of a free, criolla, indigenous,peasant, Afro-descendant and sovereign seed, which is under threat by the advances of transnational authorities who would like to control political stability in the country. We invoke the application of article xx and the law XX, as we suspect the existence of a shipment of maize seed, (March-April 2014 hundreds of tons), presumably transgenic, of the transnational agribusiness Monsanto, with intent for use within the 2014 National Maize-Planting Plan which is about to commence.

It is broadly known that transgenics affect human and animal health, contaminate the environment and affect biodiversity within agriculture, which leads to the loss of our heritage seeds. Additionally, the seeds of Monsanto, Pioneer, Cargill, DuPont, Dow, and Bayer, whether they are transgenic, hybrids, or otherwise activated, are all patented and slave-inducing, as they condemn us to consume poison in all three meals, due to the indiscriminate use of toxic agrochemicals their production implies.

Today, within the framework of the Economic War and the fierce sabotage threatening the Bolivarian Process, we should be aware of the pretension of these businesses to control our national food production. We should consider it a national duty, a debt with the Eternal Commander who maintained a firm position against transgenics and transnationals, to support free seed production for the nourishment of our people.

Because of all this, we ask our Worker President Nicolas Maduro to insist that the corresponding ministers (land and agriculture, health, and environment ministers) conduct an analysis to detect transgenics among all the maize seed imported this year, as well as initiate a program for the detection of transgenic seeds in all areas. The state must strengthen its capacity to conduct this program, with the goal of guaranteeing that no transgenic seeds be imported into the country, and that the public is adequately informed.

Additionally, we solicit the activation and follow-through of the National Seed Plan, which explains the motives for which, in spite of resources invested in increasing Venezuelan seed, planters still depend largely on imported seed. This dependency means contact with transnational agribusinesses that are allied with governments who openly oppose the Bolivarian Process.

From all the collectives committed to food sovereignty and diversity of culture, gender, biology, and all of us who constitute the homeland, we sign:

• Movimiento Campesino Socialista Jirajara
• Colectivo Amplio para la Restauración e Investigación de la Agricultura Campesina y Originaria (CARIACO)
• Frente Itinerante de Discusión Agroecológica (FRIDA)
• Colectivo Ecosocialista Autana Tepuy
• Movimiento Popular Revolucionario Argimiro Gabaldon (MPRAG)
• Consejo Campesino Comandante Argimiro Gabaldon
• Comuna El Maizal
• Comuna Comandante Adrian Moncada
• Comuna Juan Sabas Peralta
• Comuna Socialista Ataroa
• Colectivo Observatorio del Poder Popular
• Colectivo Diversidad
• Alianza sexo-genero-diversa Revolucionaria
• Comuna Agua Sagrada de Terepaima
• Comuna Quintino Alvarado
• Comuna Bucaral Unidos para Vencer
• EPSD El Konuco
• Escuela Agroecológica Valle de Tucutunemo
• Colectivo Abya Yala
• Campaña Venezuela Libre de Transgénicos
• Colectivo Agujero Negro
• Colectivo Senderos

“The people of the United States, of Latin America and the world, should follow the example of Venezuela and be free of transgenics.” Hugo Chavez, April 21st 2004.