Guyana Vice President dismisses claims that PPP ministers face US sanctions

Guyana Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has firmly denied social media claims that government ministers from the ruling People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) are facing sanctions from the United States.

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“It’s a lie. No PPP minister is on any sanction list or to be sanctioned,” Jagdeo declared during a PPP press conference on Thursday, responding directly to at least one Facebook post alleging impending U.S. sanctions against government officials.

While dismissing those allegations, Jagdeo addressed the real sanctions issued in June 2024 by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) against several prominent individuals and businesses in Guyana. Among those sanctioned were businessman Nazar Mohamed, his son Azruddin Mohamed, and their companies: Mohamed’s Enterprise, Hadi’s World, and Team Mohamed’s Racing. The OFAC action was tied to allegations of gold smuggling and corruption.

The sanctions led to the revocation of business licences and the closure of bank accounts belonging to the Mohameds and their entities. Mae Thomas, the former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, was also sanctioned along with her family members, whose accounts were likewise closed.

Jagdeo noted that despite Nazar Mohamed downplaying the sanctions, their impact has been far-reaching. He pointed out that four local banks — Demerara Bank, GBTI, Citizens Bank, and the New Building Society — have since closed accounts belonging to candidates from the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, led by Azruddin Mohamed.

Earlier this year, OFAC also sanctioned Senior Superintendent Himnauth Sawh and three other Guyanese: Paul Daby Jr., son of the late Paul Daby Snr.; Mark Cromwell, also known as “Demon” or “Diamond,” who has long been linked to criminal activity in Guyana; and Randolph Duncan.

Jagdeo reiterated that the PPP government is not implicated in the sanctions and suggested that claims to the contrary were politically motivated and “mischievous.”