Guyana’s democratic resilience versus political opportunism

Dear Editor,
Recent events have placed Guyana at a crossroads, where the strength of our democratic institutions is being tested by calculated political theatrics. The campaign led by Azruddin Mohamed, sanctioned businessman and leader of the We Invest in Nationhood (WiN) party, is not an ideological awakening but a strategic manoeuvre to evade mounting legal and reputational threats. In the face of international investigations, decisive Government action, and efforts to recast personal scandal as political persecution, it is vital to clarify the contrast between self-serving political posturing and the enduring resilience of Guyana’s institutions.
The OFAC-sanctioned fugitive, currently awaiting extradition, recently called for the resignation of senior Government Ministers, accompanied by sweeping accusations of corruption without credible evidence, which are difficult to interpret as anything other than a calculated distraction. These actions are especially striking given Mr Mohamed’s own legal troubles abroad, including extradition proceedings and sanctions imposed by the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for corruption. Unlike mere political allegations, these findings stem from investigations by international authorities, lending them a weight and credibility that cannot be dismissed as partisan attacks.
Most recently, the fugitive offender issued a scripted statement criticising the President and the PPP/C Government’s cash grant policies, drawing questionable comparisons to direct cash transfers in Middle Eastern countries. Ironically, his familiarity with those countries – where he is reportedly implicated in a gold-smuggling case valued at over $300 billion and tax evasion of $191 billion – seems to surpass his understanding of Guyana’s fiscal management. It is important to note that Guyana, under the PPP/C, implemented direct cash transfers and relief measures for households long before the advent of oil and gas revenues.
A closer analysis exposes how a sanctioned businessman attempted to turn personal scandal into a political movement built on deflection, propaganda, and self-preservation. The timeline is telling: retaining a US lobbying firm in 2023, a Reuters exposé on gold smuggling, withdrawal from a major shore base project, and the imposition of US Treasury sanctions in 2024. The Government’s response was swift and decisive, terminating all official ties once credible evidence emerged – disproving accusations of political protectionism and reinforcing the rule of law.
Mohamed’s campaign leaned on weaponised philanthropy, targeted outreach, opposition alliances, lavish spending, and aspirational imagery but lacked genuine ideology, substantive policy, or a vision for national progress. While this movement briefly unseated the traditional opposition, it was soon revealed as hollow – after the election, the PPP/C expanded its majority, while Mohamed himself faced indictment and extradition proceedings.
Ultimately, his efforts prioritised personal survival over public good. The scale of his purported philanthropy pales compared to the proceeds of alleged gold smuggling, exposing such gestures as attempts at self-redemption rather than genuine social investment. When challenged, his actions consistently favoured self-preservation over legal or political accountability.
Guyana’s institutions and the PPP/C Government upheld accountability, rejecting impunity and dismantling entrenched corruption, despite propaganda efforts to portray accountability as persecution. The resilience of Guyana’s democracy is evident: the Government’s response to US sanctions was swift, lawful, and aligned with international norms, upholding integrity over influence.
In conclusion, what is being packaged as a political awakening is, in truth, a personal insurance policy against justice – a desperate attempt to convert political noise into legal immunity. History will remember not the myth constructed by the sanctioned billionaire, but the reality he sought to escape: that Guyana stood firm, its institutions held, and integrity triumphed over impunity.

Yours sincerely,
Avinash
Bhagwandeen