After weeks of public speculation and unanswered questions surrounding its controversial large-scale agricultural initiative in Suriname, Braganza Marketing Group has issued a formal statement confirming that it has signed written binding agreements and framework contracts directly with Mennonite participants brought in to work on the projects. This confirmation marks the first time the firm has explicitly acknowledged the existence of separate Mennonite agreements, in addition to its existing contracts with Suriname’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (LVV).
Braganza director Lionel Blokland released the detailed statement to the press on Friday, following a request for comment from local outlet Starnieuws weeks earlier, when Blokland declined to respond on the record and promised to issue a full explanation at a later date.
According to Blokland’s statement, Braganza signed three land use right agreements with LVV on January 13, 2026, covering three distinct plots of land along the West Suriname Highway, with a combined total area of 34,185 hectares. Blokland emphasized that LVV holds no formal agreement with the Mennonite group; all working arrangements are structured as direct contracts between Braganza and the Mennonite participants. “The Mennonites have entered into a formal partnership with Braganza, and we have documented all terms of our working relationship in signed framework agreements,” Blokland wrote in the statement.
This disclosure clarifies the ambiguous project structure first raised by Starnieuws in previous reporting. An earlier public contract reviewed by the outlet showed LVV had conditionally granted Braganza access to 9,366.72 hectares of state-owned land, but made no mention of Mennonite involvement, despite the group’s central role in project implementation.
Blokland also pushed back on recent claims from Belizean Mennonite representative Peter Petersen, who told visiting parliamentarians and journalists that his group had paid $150 USD per hectare to secure access to land for agricultural activities in Suriname. Blokland firmly denied that Braganza has sold any land to the Mennonites at any price, stressing that no land transfer has taken place at all. Instead, he explained, the agreements with Mennonites cover their contributions of labor, agricultural management expertise, technical knowledge and hands-on experience for the execution of the large-scale projects.
The statement did not offer a definitive explanation for the $150 per hectare figure cited by Petersen. Blokland noted that Braganza has no insight into how Mennonite participants structure their internal financing arrangements. He did not rule out the possibility that individual Mennonite families pay a per-hectare contribution to the group’s collective fund, but described this as an internal matter that falls outside Braganza’s oversight.
Braganza projects that the three combined agricultural initiatives will generate approximately $78 million USD in annual production value once fully operational, with an estimated $13 million USD in annual tax contributions to the Surinamese government. The company stressed that these are projected figures, not realized output or revenue to date. It also confirmed that full financing for the projects has now been secured, addressing earlier uncertainties around funding and cash flow that were noted in an older business plan reviewed by Starnieuws. Total investments from Braganza and its international partners run into the tens of millions of dollars, the company added, rejecting accusations that it profits from the resale of state-owned land.
The statement also addressed ongoing questions about the immigration status of participating Mennonites. Blokland confirmed that all Mennonites connected to the projects are residing in Suriname through legal channels. He noted that Mexican Mennonites entered the country on valid visas, and applications for permanent residence permits have already been submitted on their behalf. For participating Mennonites from Belize, Braganza says registration via a Caricom residency certificate is required due to the country’s Caricom membership, and those applications are also already in process. This aligns with earlier guidance from Suriname’s Minister Mike Noersalim, who stated that foreign labor can only be employed at the projects in full compliance with existing Surinamese law.
Braganza additionally denied allegations that any illegal activities are being carried out at the project sites. According to the company, its agreement with LVV explicitly allows for the construction of temporary work camps, boundary demarcation, and other preliminary site preparation activities in the current project phase.
A key unresolved discrepancy remains surrounding reports of a court bailiff’s eviction notice. Blokland insisted that neither Braganza nor any participating Mennonites have received an eviction notice or order to vacate the project area, contradicting earlier reports that the Surinamese government had ordered Mennonites to halt activities and leave the land. Notably, the Mennonites themselves also stated this week that they have no knowledge of any such eviction order, leaving the conflicting accounts of the document unresolved.
Blokland also rejected claims that the project land encroaches on territory held by Indigenous and tribal communities in Suriname. He said Braganza has signed formal cooperation agreements with the local communities of Witagron, Apoera, Section and Washabo, focused on creating local employment opportunities and joint maintenance of public infrastructure, matching previous public claims the company has made about partnerships with surrounding communities.
Finally, the company dismissed unsubstantiated allegations of human trafficking connected to the Mennonite participation. Blokland described the arrangement as a legitimate business partnership, where Mennonites contribute specialized agricultural knowledge, decades of experience, and skilled labor to the initiative. Braganza said it issued the public statement to bring much-needed clarity to the intense public debate surrounding the project, and expects the Surinamese government will release additional detailed information in the near future.