Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs: Guyana Summary

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) works to keep Americans safe at home by countering international crime, illegal drugs, and instability abroad. INL helps countries deliver justice and fairness by strengthening their police, courts, and corrections systems. These efforts reduce the amount of crime and illegal drugs reaching U.S. shores.

Challenges

Guyana is a transit country for cocaine destined for the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, and West Africa. Guyana faces significant challenges from weak and sometimes corrupt democratic institutions, underdeveloped infrastructure, and poverty.

Goals

The United States seeks to foster a democratic and stable Guyana that protects citizen security by increasing respect for the rule of law. INL assistance under the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) in Guyana aims to strengthen the integrity and capacity of Guyana’s criminal justice system, including police, prosecutors, and magistrates, to deter the trafficking of cocaine and enhance citizen security.

Accomplishments

In 2019, as a result of INL’s engagement, Guyana completed the first successful fugitive extradition to the United States in nearly 20 years. The extradition of a murder suspect to the United States established a model for future bilateral cooperation that will reduce Guyana’s attractiveness as a safe haven for criminals.