GEORGETOWN – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation (MOFAIC) has issued a stinging diplomatic rebuke to the Venezuelan Ambassador to Guyana, Carlos Amador Pérez Silva, demanding transparency after the Ambassador allegedly offered contradictory accounts regarding a visit by sanctioned businessman Nazar Mohamed to the Venezuelan Embassy.
The Ministry expressed deep concern over the Ambassador’s subsequent denial of the visit, which stands in direct conflict with details provided during an earlier, high-level meeting with Minister Hugh Todd.
The Confession vs. The Denial
In the prior meeting, the Venezuelan Ambassador had allegedly confirmed that Nazar Mohamed visited the Embassy and offered specific details regarding the documentation and the purpose of the engagement.
The Ministry revealed that the Ambassador even specified that Mohamed was seeking a visa to attend a seminar in Venezuela, citing an invitation letter from Corporación World Trade for a youth seminar titled “Educating and Guiding Youth About Islam.”
The inclusion of the invitation letter in MOFAIC’s press release serves as clear proof of the visit and the urgent need for clarity. The Ministry viewed the Ambassador’s later denial as both “troubling and inconsistent.”
The Gold and Sovereignty Link
This diplomatic tension comes against a serious backdrop of transnational crime and geopolitical risk. Nazar Mohamed and his son, Azruddin Mohamed, were sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury’s OFAC in 2024 for allegedly defrauding Guyana of over US$50 million in gold export taxes between 2019 and 2023.
Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has previously raised concerns about the potential links between the Mohameds and the Venezuelan government, particularly in light of Venezuela’s persistent threats to Guyana’s territorial sovereignty.
MOFAIC’s demand for honesty and professionalism in diplomatic relations reflects the extreme importance of maintaining trust and accountability, especially when a nation is under heightened scrutiny and facing border tension
