Guyana’s main parties trade warnings of violence ahead of Sept. 1 elections

With just days to go before Guyana’s general and regional elections, tensions are rising as the country’s two main political forces exchange sharp warnings that hint at the possibility of post-election violence.

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Vice President and General Secretary of the ruling People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C), Bharrat Jagdeo, told supporters at a rally in Stewartville, West Coast Demerara, on Sunday that the security forces were prepared to quell any unrest.

“I want to promise them that in case they try to create trouble when they are defeated by this massive victory of the PPP/C, they’re going to get into big trouble,” Jagdeo said, directly naming the opposition coalition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), led by billionaire businessman Azruddin Mohamed.

He added that both the police and army “are ready to take on anyone who tries to disrupt the peaceful polls in these upcoming elections,” predicting what he described as a “huge, decisive, overwhelming victory” for his party.

But addressing supporters the same day at a rally in Plaisance, East Coast Demerara, APNU leader and presidential candidate Aubrey Norton rejected Jagdeo’s remarks and warned the ruling party against clinging to power if defeated.

“I want to say this to all our supporters, once we beat the People’s Progressive Party, they must go or they will face the consequences,” Norton said, adding he was not intimidated by Jagdeo’s assertion about the security forces. “We’re going to beat yo,” he told the crowd.

Norton also launched a blistering personal attack on Jagdeo, calling him a “complete idiot” and accusing the PPP/C of underestimating APNU’s strength. “If Jagdeo believes that because we didn’t take them on, we lack the capacity to, then he’s fooling himself,” Norton declared. “We have campaigned peacefully. We would like to be peaceful but we would not accept subjugation.”

Earlier this month, Norton had similarly warned that APNU was “prepared to behave bad if illegalities occur” in the electoral process.

The September 1 elections will decide the presidency, 65 parliamentary seats, and control of the country’s 10 regional councils. Six candidates are vying for the presidency, including incumbent President Irfaan Ali of the PPP/C, Norton of the APNU, attorney Nigel Hughes of the Alliance for Change (AFC), Mohamed of WIN, Amanza Walton-Desir of the Forward Guyana Movement, and Simona Broomes of the Assembly for Liberty & Prosperity (ALP).

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Seven political parties are contesting the elections overall, though observers believe the contest will be primarily between the PPP/C and the APNU.

Regional and international organizations, including the U.S.-based Carter Center, the Organization of American States (OAS), and the Commonwealth, are monitoring the polls.