Emmanuel Macron paid tribute on Friday to Major Arnaud Blanc, a GIGN gendarme killed during an operation to combat illegal gold mining in Guyana, praising a “smiling and free” man and a “soldier of the law”.
“The one we nicknamed ‘Blanca’ had the soul of a French soldier, smiling and free (…) a smile as an election, a banner, a rejection of the complaint, a smile as a legacy”, declared the Head of State. State in front of her coffin on the base of the GIGN, the elite unit of the gendarmerie, in Versailles-Satory (Yvelines).
A soldier “of the law to the end”
This “sniper, driver of armored vehicles, inveterate lifeguard, expert in canoes” had pledged to “protect everyone as a bulwark of the law, as a soldier of the law to the end,” added Emmanuel Macron, accompanied by Interior. Minister Gérald Darmanin and Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu.
On March 22, the soldier, pacsé and father of two children, had been transported by helicopter with nine companions in the heart of the Guyanese jungle to arrive by surprise at the clandestine site of Dorlin, two days away.
“Their objective, to dismantle one of these illegal gold mining camps where we not only traffic gold but drugs, medicines, weapons and even humans,” said Emmanuel Macron, referring to “prostitute women”, “enslaved children”, “clandestine migrants” . whose misfortune is taken advantage of with threats and blackmail”.
Two hidden miners open fire
After two days of marching, “they set up their last camp one kilometer from the attacked town”, continues the Head of State, surrounded by Arnaud Blanc’s comrades in arms, with their faces covered as is customary in elite units to preserve their anonymity. .
“They planned to get up at 1 in the morning and walk the last kilometer in silence with night vision binoculars so that the surprise effect would be complete,” he said. At dawn they arrive at the houses, Arnaud Blanc in the lead.
“Suddenly detonations go off, two undercover miners have just opened fire.” “Arnaud Blanc retaliates, down to the last bullet in his magazine and in the exchange of shots he is hit twice and collapses.”
The soldier promoted to Knight of the Legion of Honor
His comrades will try in vain to help him. “It is already too late. It is 5:20 am,” reports Emmanuel Macron again.
The Head of State made a long bow before the coffin of the soldier, posthumously promoted to Knight of the Legion of Honor and major, then spoke to his family and his comrades in arms.
The army and gendarmerie regularly carry out operations to dismantle illegal gold mining sites in Guyana. Some 500 sites are still active, according to the Observatory of Mining Activity (OAM).
Source: BFM TV
