Argentina Has a “City of Death” Thanks to Monsanto

By Heather Callaghan

Monte Maíz, a city in Argentina, has five times the rates of miscarriages and cancer than among half the world’s population – all eyes are on glyphosate. Here’s the scary part – they only have a population of around 8,500 people. Furthermore, lung cancer accounts for 40% of the deaths there, and Monsanto’s glyphosate-based herbicide is said to be the direct cause.

Glyphosate is an active ingredient in Monsanto‘s Roundup, but also makes an appearance in other companies’ pesticides since the patent expired. Roundup is heavily used – legally – both here in the states and in Argentina especially because genetically modified crops are engineered to allow incredible amounts of Roundup to be sprayed without killing the crops themselves.

How bad is the glyphosate problem in Monte Maíz?

In Monte Maíz, dubbed “the city of death,” where, tucked within, are 22 hangars with equipment for spraying pesticides. Herbicide spray vehicles apparently drive through the city streets polluting the city air. Argentine pharmacist Carlos Vicente described the spraying saying “this is the worst…” and called for the removal of the hangars and reconsideration of this toxicity.

Vicente told Sputnik:

In places, where large amounts of glyphosate-treated soy are grown, all studies show alarming results. The same situation is observed in Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina. Glyphosate, the herbicide used in cultivating transgenic soy is applied throughout the whole region.

Year after year its toxicity level is being proved.

In 2009, Andres Carrasco, the Argentine researcher and the president of CONICET (National Scientific and Technical Research Council), found out that a large concentration of this substance has a toxic effect on amphibian embryos and, consequently, on human embryos. Carrasco claimed that it might provoke various kinds of abnormalities and abortions. This is exactly what is happening now in Monte Maíz and other cities where the substance is sprayed.

This is just further confirmation of the reason why cancer is so widespread in Monte Maís, with nearly three times more cases than among half of Argentina’s population.

His last line is referring to a 2015 report where the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organization declared in a study that glyphosate is a “possible human carcinogen.” But guess why this finding isn’t emphasized more? Could it be that another WHO body – the Meeting on Pesticide Residues, together with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization – swooped in to declare glyphosate’s safety?  They stated that glyphosate is “unlikely to pose a carcinogenic risk to humans from exposure through the diet.”

This, of course, causes mass confusion and gives Monsanto and other chemical-ag corporations more time to keep using a dangerous substance. After all, glyphosate has been linked to fatal kidney disease and breast cancer in parts per trillion. Think about how toxic a substance must be to create devastating health effects at that amount.

READ: Groundbreaking Review Shows How Glyphosate Alters DNA Toward Chronic Illness

As of 2014, cancer deaths had doubled in Argentine agro-cities. It looks like Monsanto has gone much too far in Argentina, since reports of death are now visible after profuse spraying – meaning that the retort of “correlation doesn’t equal causation” simply won’t cut it here.

Additionally, the people of Argentina are making a lot of noise – they are not going quietly. Protests of various forms have been going on for a few years.  Monsanto has foolishly lashed back and wants royalties, but the people aren’t having it. Furthermore, the government appears to be on the people’s side.

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This article (Argentina Has a “City of Death” Thanks to Monsanto) can be republished with attribution to Heather Callaghan and Natural Blaze.com, keeping all links and bio intact.

Heather Callaghan is an independent researcher, natural health blogger and food freedom activist. You can see her work at NaturalBlaze.com. Like at Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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