Mexico sterile-fly plant protests over odor in Chiapas

Residents of Metapa de Dominguez in Mexico’s Chiapas state have staged protests demanding the removal of a sterile-fly plant. Protesters reported a pungent odor, compared to rotting meat and spoiled food, which has caused nausea and disrupted local schools.

The facility is a central component of a joint US-Mexican effort to combat the New World screwworm, a parasite that burrows into the flesh of warm-blooded animals. The plant, which received a $21 million investment from the US Department of Agriculture as part of a $51 million project, aims to produce 100 million sterile flies per week to curb the outbreak.

The screwworm surge has significant economic implications, as it led the United States to impose a year-long ban on Mexican cattle imports. While the plant was inaugurated in June by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, local residents have expressed that the environmental impact outweighs the strategic investment.