U.S. Department Of State Imposes Visa Restrictions On Guyanese “Undermining Democracy”

News Americas, WASHINGTON, D.C., Weds. July 15, 2020: U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, earlier today announced visa restrictions “on individuals who have been responsible for, or complicit in, undermining democracy in Guyana.”

Also impacted will be the immediate family members of such persons.

“The events following the March 2 elections indicate that there are forces that have repeatedly refused to accept the will of the people at the ballot box,” Pompeo stated. “Guyana’s non-democratic trajectory is dangerous for its citizens and for the hemisphere as a whole.  I hope that Guyana’s leaders understand what is at stake if they continue down this path.”

The US secretary of state added that “this action is not about interference (but) it is to send a clear message of the consequences of subverting democracy and the rule of law, which poses a danger to us and our hemispheric partners. “

“We have long said that we have no preference for a winning party, as long as it is selected through a free and fair electoral process that is credible,” Pompeo added.

Guyanese voters went to the polls on March 2nd but to date there has been no official elections results. A certified recount of the election results from March 2nd showed that the country’s main opposition Peoples Progressive Party/Civic, (PPP/C,) won the elections with 233,336 votes, while the incumbent A Partnership For National Unity/Alliance For Change, (APNU/AFC) garnered 217,920 votes. The results were certified by the country’s Guyana Election Commission in its recount, overseen by international and regional observers, including CARICOM scrutineers. But the incumbent party has so far refused to allow the elections commission to officially declare the results.

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