GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — As Guyana prepares for a critical national election, the political spotlight has turned sharply toward Azruddin Mohamed, the businessman-turned-presidential hopeful whose candidacy is raising alarms among international partners, particularly the United States.
Vice President and People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday reiterated that Mohamed’s entry into Parliament, either on the government or opposition benches, could have serious consequences for Guyana’s financial system and its global partnerships.
At a press conference held at Freedom House, Jagdeo pointed to recent statements by U.S. Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole Theriot, who confirmed that the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is concerned about Mohamed’s potential role in public office.
“This is not just about a visa revocation,” Jagdeo said. “These are OFAC sanctions. They bring with them significant implications not just for him, but for the entire country.” He noted that OFAC rules strictly prohibit American institutions from doing business with sanctioned individuals, and warned that Guyanese banks, government ministries, and even private firms could come under scrutiny if linked, directly or indirectly, to a sanctioned official.
The Vice President cited ExxonMobil’s recent withdrawal from a consortium involving Mohamed as a case in point. “Exxon had to leave that consortium because they could not do business with the Mohameds,” he stated.
Mohamed, along with his father Nazar and several of their companies, including Mohamed’s Enterprise and Hadi’s World, was sanctioned in June 2024 for alleged large-scale gold smuggling and tax evasion.
According to OFAC, the Mohameds under-reported over 10,000 kilograms of gold between 2019 and 2023, allegedly defrauding the Guyanese government of more than US$50 million.
Ambassador Theriot, in a media engagement on Wednesday, was direct in her assessment: “We are concerned anytime an OFAC-sanctioned individual has the potential to become a member of government. That could limit how we interact with that government, and it sends a signal to our private sector that could impact business confidence.”
However, Mohamed’s supporters and members of his political movement, We Invest in Nationhood (WIIN), have strongly pushed back against what they see as external interference. While they acknowledge the seriousness of the sanctions, they argue that Mohamed has a right to contest elections like any other citizen.
Some have questioned whether the focus on his legal issues is politically motivated, and whether Guyana is being asked to set aside its democratic process to accommodate the preferences of a foreign partner.
At Thursday’s press conference, Jagdeo addressed those concerns: “It’s not about denying anyone a right to run. It’s about understanding the global framework in which we operate. No country can ignore the consequences of non-compliance with OFAC. That’s not politics, that’s global reality.”
Still, questions remain about how far-reaching the sanctions’ effects could be. Would Guyana’s legislative business be disrupted? Could local companies be blacklisted simply for participating in public procurement processes where a sanctioned individual holds influence? And how will voters view the growing international pressure?
Ambassador Theriot cautioned that Mohamed’s elevation could have a chilling effect on investment. “We’ve seen it in other countries, U.S. companies pause, reassess, and sometimes walk away entirely,” she said. “That’s not a path we want to see for Guyana, especially given all the interest and opportunity that exists here right now.”
While the PPP has made it clear that it views Mohamed’s candidacy as a liability to Guyana’s international standing, the broader national debate is now grappling with a more complex question: How does a sovereign country balance international expectations with its democratic principles?
With elections approaching and political tensions rising, how Guyana navigates this issue could define more than just the next administration, it may shape how the country is perceived on the global stage for years to come.
