Horse smuggling, an open door for the flesh-eating parasite

BarcelonaAt the desert border between Mexico and Texas, animal smuggling has ceased to be just a livestock offense to become a large-scale threat. The illegal sale of horses, without veterinary controls or quarantines, has opened a gap for the New World screwworm (Cochliomyia hominivorax). This carnivorous parasite, which devours the live flesh of animals, puts the livestock economy of the entire geographic area at risk. In this photo essay, we propose a graphic journey between the immensity of the Rio Grande and the routes controlled by Mexican cartels, the lack of inspections turns each clandestine convoy into a dangerous Trojan horse.