Biotecnología en comunidades indígenas: oportunidades, desafíos éticos y sostenibilidad

Biotechnology is considered a pillar of current scientific and technological development, and its implementation in indigenous communities poses ethical, social, and environmental challenges that require critical and contextualized analysis. This article aims to analyze the relationship between biotechnology and indigenous peoples, with emphasis on Latin America and Mexico, through a qualitative methodology based on a documentary review supported by critical-interpretive analysis of the scientific literature published between 2015 and 2026, aside from a few exceptions involving foundational works. It examines specific applications such as the conservation of native species, ecosystem restoration, sustainable agriculture, and genomics applied to health and territory. It also presents cases from indigenous communities, such as the Tzeltal and Tzotzil peoples in Chiapas and the Nahua peoples in Puebla, as well as experiences in Latin America (the Ecuadorian Amazon and Chimborazo), which reveal both potential benefits and existing tensions. Among the challenges identified are biopiracy, violations of free, prior, and informed consent, asymmetries in benefit-sharing mechanisms, and the persistence of colonial approaches in scientific research. The article incorporates new governance frameworks such as the Cali Fund for Digital Sequence Information (COP16) and the C.A.R.E. Principles of Indigenous Data Sovereignty. It concludes that biotechnology can effectively contribute to sustainable development when it is based on the principles of justice, effective community participation, and respect for cultural autonomy, and that co-design approaches integrating scientific and traditional knowledge are required.