Govt initially blamed for protecting Mohameds, now blamed for their downfall – Pres Ali highlights irony

President Dr Irfaan Ali has strongly rejected claims that the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) administration protected the now US-sanctioned Mohamed family, describing the accusations as both inconsistent and politically motivated.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Local Content Summit 2025, opened on Tuesday at the Marriott Hotel, the Head of State expressed frustration over what he termed an “ironic twist” — from being accused of shielding the Mohameds to now being blamed for their fall.

“It’s ironic that the very people who accused us of protecting the Mohameds are now blaming us for their demise,” President Ali said in response to media questions.

Consistency
The President detailed how, early in his term, he was approached by a journalist questioning whether his personal acquaintance with the Mohameds had influenced any special treatment. At the time, he said, no evidence had been presented to justify Government action.
“I assured him then — and I repeat now — that if any wrongdoing came to light, action would be taken,” he said.
According to Ali, the US conducted its own investigation and levied sanctions against the Mohameds for tax evasion, among other alleged offences.
“This is an international body. What does that have to do with the Guyanese Government?” he asked rhetorically. “We are now being blamed for actions taken by the US.”
Additionally, he emphasised that when sanctions had been announced, Guyanese authorities immediately requested additional information from their US counterparts to support due process on the local front.

Allegations of blackmail
President Ali also dismissed allegations made by the Mohameds that senior officials, including Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo and Attorney General Anil Nandlall, had attempted to blackmail them.
“Blackmail? For what?” Ali questioned. “We are going to win this election because we (stayed) true to the trust that people placed in us when we went to the polls. We are going to win this election because we fulfilled our manifesto. We are going to win this election because the people trusted us and we delivered — not on political gimmicks.”
Going further to defend the Government’s integrity, he contended that his administration has consistently respected the rule of law, even bringing in the Regional Security System (RSS) to ensure impartial investigations when needed.

Political motivation and democracy
Ali has suggested that the renewed attention on the Mohameds is less about justice and more about political gain. Hinting that Opposition-aligned figures may be using the situation to distract or discredit the Government ahead of upcoming elections, he declared, “Let’s be honest about it: this is a political campaign disguised as advocacy.”
Urging transparency in the actions of those organizing meetings and making public accusations, he nevertheless repeatedly emphasised that his administration’s focus remains on serving the people and not on responding to “noise”, or engaging in political battles over unsubstantiated claims.
“We’ve worked hard, delivered on our manifesto, and stayed true to our mandate. That’s how we intend to win; not through chaos or spin,” he declared.
In 2024, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced that sanctions had been levied on members of one of Guyana’s wealthiest families: Nazar Mohamed and his son Azruddin Mohamed, several of their companies, and on Guyanese Government official Mae Thomas, for their roles in alleged public corruption in Guyana.
According to a statement from OFAC, these sanctions are related to the evasion of taxes on gold exports. It noted that between 2019 and 2023, Mohamed’s Enterprise had omitted more than 10 thousand kilograms (kg) of gold from import and export declarations, and had avoided paying more than US$50 million in duty taxes to the Government of Guyana.
Subsequently, Nazar Mohamed resigned as a Councillor for the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) on one of the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDC), while Thomas resigned from her post as Permanent Secretary and also as a member of the party.
As the Government awaits feedback from the US on the matter, Mohamed’s Enterprise Cambio licence has been suspended, while all Government agencies have ceased conducting business with the Mohameds and their related companies.