U.S., Mexico battle over water
Farmers in South Texas are in court on a claim Mexico hogged water during a drought in the 1990's. But in an odd twist, the U.S. State Department is siding with Mexico. Dan Grech reports.
Farmer Miguel Maciel explains an irrigation system in northern Mexico. (Alfredo Estrella/AFP/Getty Images)
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Doug Krizner: The U.S. and Mexico have been fighting for more than a century over water along their border. Today, a court a Canadian will offer a neutral venue for the latest tussle. Farmers in South Texas claim Mexico hogged water during a drought in the 1990's. But this case has an odd twist: the U.S. State Department is siding with Mexico. From the Americas Desk at WLRN, Marketplace's Dan Grech reports.
Dan Grech: For nearly a decade, Mexico restricted water from entering the arid Rio Grande Valley in South Texas. Farmers in that region say that decimated crops and cost the Texas economy $1 billion.
The farmers claim Mexico violated water provisions in NAFTA, the free trade agreement. Their case has been weakened, however, because the U.S. government filed a brief siding with Mexico.
Nancie Marzulla, an attorney for the South Texas farmers, says she was blindsided by the move.
Nancie Marzulla: Shocked. Absolutely shocked.
Marzulla felt betrayed that her own government would side with a foreign nation.
Marzulla: It was a very short world view to allow our nation's water rights to be taken by another country.
So why did the U.S. back Mexico? Because the State Department worries a win by the farmers would expose the U.S. to similar lawsuits from Canada and Mexico. Recently, Canadian cattle ranchers filed a suit against the U.S.
I'm Dan Grech for Marketplace.
