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Guadeloupe in the 1890 and continued into the 20th century. A strike at a sugar factory led to police shooting and killing 10 agricultural workers. This event highlights the deep social and economic tensions surrounding the island's plantation economy. -
During war world ll Guadeloupe's political alignment changed. In 1940, it pledged its allegiance to the Vichy government, which was collaborating with Nazi Germany. However, in 1943, it switched its support to General Charles d Free French forces. -
On March 19, 1946, Guadeloupe ceased being a French colony and officially became an overseas department of France. This status change was meant to grant citizens more rights, but it also cemented the island's political integration with mainland France. -
The "Massacre of St Valentine" took place in Le Moule in 1952. Police shot and killed four striking factory workers, underscoring ongoing labor disputes and social unrest in the post-war era. -
In May 1967, racial tensions boiled over into rioting following a racist attack on a Black Guadeloupean man, Raphael Balzinc. The unrest resulted in at least eight deaths and exposed deep-seated racial divisions. -
In 1976, the La Soufrière volcano erupted, forcing a mass evacuation of 76,000 people from the southern part of Basse-Terre. The controversy over the evacuation's handling and the subsequent false alarm caused lingering public distrust in political and scientific authorities. -
The 1970s saw a rise in independence movements, with some groups turning to violence. Groups like the Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance (ARC) and the Armed Liberation Group (GLA) conducted bombings in Guadeloupe and Paris during the 1980s -
Hurricane Hugo caused widespread and severe damage to Guadeloupe. It remains one of the most memorable natural disasters for many local inhabitants. -
In 2009, a widespread general strike broke out over the high cost of living. The strikes exposed deep racial and class tensions and severely impacted the tourism industry. The protests highlighted persistent inequalities and led to a promise of new subsidies from the French government. -
Guadeloupe and Martinique saw widespread and sometimes violent demonstrations against France's vaccine requirements and other COVID-19 restrictions. These protests reflected a long-standing public mistrust of the French government's health policies.