French Guiana rejects intention to build mega-prison in its territory

Published at: 24/05/2025 10:07 AM

The interim president of the Territorial Collectivity of French Guiana, Jean-Paul Fereira, rejected the announcement by the Government of France to build a high-security prison in the territory of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni for 500 inmates, on the grounds that it intends to combat drug traffickers and Islamist prisoners.

According to a note released by Venezolana de Televisión (VTV), Fereira expressed her “amazement and indignation” at the lack of local consultation; while the deputy Jean-Victor Castor described the plan as “an insult to our history” and a “colonial regression”.

At a cost of 400 million euros, the work will begin construction soon, although there is no definite date yet, and will open in 2028. France's strategy seeks to combat drug trafficking in a key region of South American routes to Europe, but it generates local criticism for its impact.

In this regard, Fereira expressed his “amazement and indignation” at the lack of local consultation for the construction of the prison. In this regard, the French Minister of Justice, Gérald Darmanin, stressed that he has “decided to establish the third high-security prison in France in Guiana”, while highlighting a strict regime for 60 high-risk drug traffickers and 15 Islamist prisoners.

He also defended the project as a measure of “sovereignty” and a “lock” against organized crime, which attacks drug trafficking from its origin in South America to consumers in Europe.

According to local media, the area, 300 kilometers from Cayenne, is remote and only accessible by plane in some communities.

However, critics compare the project to the Nayib Bukele anti-human mega-prison in El Salvador, questioning its impact on the region and its focus on harboring high-profile criminals. The prison will incorporate advanced surveillance and total isolation for the most dangerous inmates, seeking to neutralize the leaders of criminal networks.

Mazo News Team