With the global tally of people who have contracted the swine flu having surpassed 3,000, Japan, Italy,Argentina and Brazil have now also confirmed their first cases. Moreover, World Health Organization (WHO) Assistant Director-General Keiji Fukuda has indicated an even more pervasive impact, stating, “…We would expect the virus to infect many people.

Perhaps a third of the world’s population could be infected with this virus, based on previous pandemics.” In Mexico, the country with the highest number of confirmed swine flu cases and fatalities, a five-day flu shutdown of Mexico City has just concluded, where the city’s 20 million people were advised to stay home.

 In La Gloria, however, the town with the world’s first cases of the swine flu, people remain wary. Many feel that the virus originated in the huge factory farm operations that surround the town and confine a million pigs each year. Health experts have warned that such factory farms are a breeding ground for dangerous new diseases such as the swine flu.

Supreme Master Television’s correspondent was on location in La Gloria, Mexico where she spoke with some of the residents.

Supreme Master TV : Halo Supreme Master Television viewers. We are here at one of the many farms in Perote, Veracruz, Mexico. You can hear the sounds of the pigs and the strong odor that the farms exude, and unfortunately, the animals themselves are unhealthy, and people in this community are recognizing it themselves.

Supreme Master TV : Good morning, sir. Do you live near this factory farm?

Melitonio Henández Arellano – Farmer of La Gloria, Mexico, first town to report swine flu cases (M):
We live here in Chichicuautla, where the road is that which you came from. People here in Chichicuautla do not support the factory farms. Because the truth is, the children are already sick and a water well is already contaminated.

Supreme Master TV : Have you ever entered any of these factory farms?

Melitonio (M): No, not really. But we work alongside the farm and we pass by and the smell of the acid alone used to dissolve the pigs that die is unbearable.

Supreme Master TV : Do you know what they do with the excrement of these animals?

Melitonio (M): Well, they just wash it with water, they don’t take it to another place or anything. All the excrement is washed with water, pressure washing.

Supreme Master TV : Is that what polluted the water and what is going to pollute the ground?

Melitonio (M): Yes, it is polluting the water, the land, and air we breathe.

Supreme Master TV : What about food, would you opt for something natural to prevent disease?

Melitonio (M): Yes, the truth is yes. What is needed here is something clean and healthy, more than anything for the children and the elderly who are most at risk of becoming ill. We want someone  to get rid of these farms. That is what we want.

Supreme Master TV : We are with three residents near a pig farm. They will comment about their daily experience they have with this situation.

Abundio García – Resident (M): We are many who are not satisfied or happy with this pork company.

Supreme Master TV : How has it affected your life?

Luis Fernando Enriquez – Resident (M): As more time that passes I think it will affect us even more, because I see the sewage waters are accumulating, and going I imagine into the underground water, which we are drinking from. And later if it is infected, then what will happen?

Eleazar Enríquez – Resident (M): At least we are already are grown up, but our babies to come are going to suffer.

Supreme Master TV : Do you prefer that these farms will be removed?

Luis Fernando Enriquez – Resident (M): Ah! For sure.

Supreme Master TV : This is Supreme Master Television from La Gloria, Mexico.

VOICE: We join in deep concern for the health of the residents of La Gloria, Mexico, and all those who are affected by factory farm operations. Our prayers that people across the globe will open their hearts to the suffering of both humans and animals and adopt the plant-based diet as the only truly healthy and humane choice for all beings.