2nd-That for the national economy, banana activity represents an important segment, for which the State must adopt all the regulations, measures, and procedures required to protect banana plantations from the pests and diseases that may affect them. 3rd-That it is a fundamental right of every State, within the framework of the agreement for the application of sanitary and phytosanitary measures, to adopt the necessary measures to protect plants of economic importance, basing these measures on an assessment, appropriate to the circumstances, of the existing risks to the health and life of people and animals. 4th-That it is the responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, through the State Phytosanitary Service, to ensure the phytosanitary protection of crops in our country, ordering, once the existence of a pest or disease is confirmed, the technical and control measures that prevent their spread. 5th-That by legal imperative, phytosanitary measures aimed at protecting public health, animal health, and agricultural production are of public interest and mandatory compliance. 6th-That for banana activity, Moko (Ralstonia solanacearum) and Black Sigatoka (Mycosphaerella fijiensis) represent a serious threat due to their grave and harmful effects on banana plantations and production. 7th-That in the southern zone of the country, there is an area of approximately one thousand hectares cultivated with banana that presents a high incidence of Moko and Black Sigatoka, which constitutes a serious threat to banana production, because the inoculum can affect disease-free banana plantations. 8th-That the Executive Branch, upon prior recommendation of the State Phytosanitary Service, may declare a phytosanitary state of emergency when pests or diseases threaten plantations of importance to the national economy. Therefore, They Decree:
Regional phytosanitary state of emergency for Moko and Black Sigatoka in banana plantations in the southern zone of the country