Introduction to rigged elections in Guyana

Dear Editor,
Guyana’s political history has been marred by electoral manipulation and rigged elections, particularly between 1968 and 1985, when the People’s National Congress (PNC) under Forbes Burnham maintained power through fraudulent practices. Those elections were characterized by vote-rigging, voter suppression, military intervention, and intimidation of political opponents.
The roots of electoral fraud in Guyana can be traced to the Cold War era, when the United States and Britain sought to prevent the rise of Cheddi Jagan’s People’s Progressive Party (PPP), due to its socialist leanings. With Western backing, Burnham and the PNC secured power in 1964, and used authoritarian control to manipulate subsequent elections, ensuring continued dominance.
During this period, elections were systematically rigged through methods such as inflated voter lists, overseas ballots, ballot box tampering, and state control over electoral institutions. Opposition parties, particularly the PPP, and international observers frequently condemned the elections as fraudulent, but the PNC remained in power until democratic reforms were enacted in 1992.
The rigging of elections in Guyana had profound consequences, including political instability, economic decline, ethnic tensions, and international isolation. It was not until the early 1990s, following international pressure and electoral reforms, that Guyana transitioned to free and fair elections, beginning with the 1992 victory of the PPP under Cheddi Jagan.
This introduction provides the foundation for understanding Guyana’s history of electoral fraud, setting the stage for a deeper examination of the rigged elections between 1968 and 1985.
The 1968, 1973, 1980 and 1985 elections in Guyana were all marked by allegations of electoral fraud and manipulation, primarily under the rule of the People’s National Congress (PNC), led by Forbes Burnham. Here’s a breakdown of each election:
1968 General Elections
• Held on December 16, 1968.
• Conducted under PNC leader Forbes Burnham, who had been in power since 1964.
• Allegations of widespread fraud, including claims that votes were cast in the names of deceased people and voters who were overseas.
• The PNC won 30 out of 53 seats, securing an absolute majority and consolidating its control.
• The opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP), led by Cheddi Jagan, denounced the election as rigged.
1973 General Elections
• Held on July 16, 1973.
• Marked by military intervention, with security forces seizing ballot boxes in several PPP stronghold areas.
• The PNC, under Burnham, declared victory with 37 out of 53 seats, giving it a two-thirds majority to amend the Constitution.
• The election was widely condemned as fraudulent, and two PPP polling agents were killed by security forces at New Market Primary School – No. 64 Village, Corentyne Berbice.
• The PPP and other opposition groups refused to recognize the results.
1980 General Elections
• Held on December 15, 1980.
• The most controversial election, following a 1978 referendum that allowed Burnham to introduce a new executive presidency with sweeping powers.
• Forbes Burnham officially won, becoming Executive President of Guyana.
• The PNC claimed 41 out of 53 seats, an overwhelming majority.
• Massive vote-rigging, intimidation, and manipulation of voter lists.
• The opposition and international observers rejected the results as fraudulent.
1985 General Elections
• Held on December 9, 1985.
• First election after Forbes Burnham’s death in August 1985. He was succeeded by Desmond Hoyte as PNC leader and President.
• The PNC claimed victory again, winning 42 out of 53 seats.
• The elections were again widely considered rigged, although Hoyte later introduced economic and political reforms in the late 1980s.
• Marked the last fraudulent election under PNC rule, as electoral reforms in the early 1990s led to the first free and fair elections in 1992.
Editor, all four elections (1968, 1973, 1980, and 1985) were heavily criticized for fraud, manipulation, and authoritarian control by the PNC government. These rigged elections helped maintain the PNC’s dominance until 1992, when international pressure led to democratic reforms and the first free and fair elections, won by the PPP under Cheddi Jagan.

Sincerely,
Pharamdai Roberts