Vice President and PPP/C General Secretary Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo dismissed social‑media claims on Thursday that ministers from the governing People’s Progressive Party/Civic were facing or slated for sanctions by the United States, calling at least one Facebook post to that effect “a lie.” He made the denial during a party press briefing and reiterated that no PPP minister appears on any U.S. sanctions list.
Jagdeo used the opportunity to remind the public of the real and measurable effects of earlier U.S. Treasury actions that have affected Guyanese individuals and businesses. On June 11, 2024, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Nazar Mohamed and his son Azruddin, along with entities including Mohamed’s Enterprise, Hadi’s World, and Team Mohamed’s Racing, citing alleged corruption and gold‑sector malfeasance; the move triggered revocation of licences and the freezing or closure of related bank accounts.
Jagdeo noted that those sanctions produced tangible consequences in Guyana’s financial sector: several local banks have since closed accounts linked to individuals associated with Azruddin Mohamed’s We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party. Local banking industry statements and reporting show institutions such as Demerara Bank, GBTI, Citizens Bank and the New Building Society have, in individual cases, severed relationships with persons tied to the party — actions that local banks say were taken independently and under their regulatory obligations. The U.S. ambassador to Guyana has also affirmed that Washington did not direct those bank decisions.
The OFAC designations did not end with the Mohameds. In a subsequent set of U.S. actions announced in June 2025, OFAC targeted several individuals alleged to be involved in transnational narcotics trafficking and other criminal activity; among those named in reporting were Guyanese nationals including a senior police officer, reflecting U.S. concerns about criminal networks and corruption that cross borders. These measures and their fallout have fed an already tense political environment as parties campaign ahead of the September 1 polls.
Opposition and civil‑society voices have used the sanctions and bank closures to press competing arguments. Critics of the government point to OFAC’s findings as evidence of entrenched corruption that requires further investigation; supporters of the Mohameds deny wrongdoing and argue that sanctions and related financial restrictions can have wide economic and political collateral effects. Jagdeo cautioned against misinformation that attributes sanctions to the deliberate targeting of sitting ministers while also underscoring that sanctions carry serious legal and financial consequences for those designated.
For context, OFAC actions are implemented under U.S. executive authorities—including measures linked to the Global Magnitsky framework—and typically block property in U.S. jurisdiction and prohibit most U.S. persons from engaging in transactions with designated entities. In practice that can prompt correspondent banks and local institutions to reassess relationships, especially when allegations include money‑laundering, gold smuggling or links to organized criminal activity. Guyanese authorities and local banks say they adhere to domestic regulations and international compliance expectations when making such decisions.
Jagdeo’s categorical denial that PPP ministers will be sanctioned aims to counter a specific piece of online disinformation; at the same time, the episode highlights how international sanctions, local banking responses and political messaging intersect — and how rapidly claims on social platforms can escalate into matters with legal and financial consequences. As the campaign season continues, observers say clarity from official sources and careful, verifiable reporting will be essential to prevent misinformation from shaping public perceptions.
