The Prime Minister will spend New Year’s Eve with the armed forces, who are fighting against illegal gold mining in the department, and will start the year by visiting a river checkpoint and an Amerindian village. This is the first time she is visiting this department of 300,000 inhabitants in northeastern South America, bordering Suriname and Brazil.
Elizabeth Borne will also remain in Guyane on January 1st and will start 2024 by visiting a river checkpoint and an Amerindian village. She will be present in Guyane to attend Emmanuel Macron’s New Year’s Eve wishes. The Prime Minister has expressed a sense of accomplishment after the adoption of the controversial immigration law, a move that has caused heated debates and fractured the majority in the parliament.
Upon her arrival, Elizabeth Borne will meet with the mayor of Cayenne and the president of the territorial community to discuss migration and status issues. Subsequently, she will visit the city of Maripasoula in the south-western part of the Amazon rainforest. Approximately 2,200 soldiers and around a thousand gendarmes are stationed in Guyane, engaged in various operations including combating illegal fishing and clandestine gold miners.
The Prime Minister will also visit a site in Dorlin where forces from the 9th Marine Infantry Regiment operate. This site has witnessed tragic events, including the death of a GIGN major and a member of the Forces armées de Guyane. On Monday, Elizabeth Borne will embark on a boat to visit a river checkpoint and will discuss the fight against drug trafficking at Cayenne airport.
The systematic control of travelers to the mainland was established a year ago to prevent the smuggling of drugs. However, this trafficking partly explains the violence in the department, which holds the unfortunate record for the highest number of homicides per capita in France.
The poverty in Guyane further contributes to the challenges faced by the region, with 53% of the population living below the poverty line. Elizabeth Borne’s visit to this complex and diverse region reflects the government’s commitment to addressing the multifaceted issues present in this unique part of France.
