US sanctions prompted by repeated attempts to deny will of the people - ambassador
United States Ambassador to Guyana Sarah-Ann Lynch yesterday defended Washington’s move to impose sanctions against persons here acting to derail democracy, while saying that it is driven by the concern that it and over 130 other nations share about the repeated efforts to undermine the will of the people.
“We [the United States] are friends of Guyana. As you know we have been providing assistance here for years and have great cooperation with Guyana on many common objectives we have in the hemisphere. Our objective is to make sure that democratic principles are adhered to as well as the rule of law,” Lynch told a virtual press conference yesterday.
“We are focused on Guyana. It has nothing to do with any other nation. We are not alone in our conclusions here. Over 130 nations, as I mentioned… have all come to the same conclusion that this national vote recount is the count that needs to be used in order to make sure the will of the Guyanese people stand,” she added.
The US envoy reiterated much of what US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told a State Department press briefing on Wednesday, when he called for caretaker president David Granger to step aside, and also announced visa restrictions for persons responsible for and complicit in “undermining democracy” here.
After weeks of warnings to the incumbent APNU+AFC administration, which continues to cling defiantly to power despite the results of the national vote recount, Pompeo on Wednesday also announced that family members of complicit persons may also face a similar fate.
Lynch said it is against her country’s laws to make public the names of those whose visas have been revoked. “These restrictions are under the authority of the Immigration and Nationality Act, section 212(a) (3) (C), to restrict visas to those whose entry into the United States would have potentially serious adverse foreignpolicy consequences. Visa records are confidential under US law; so we are not able to identify the individuals or provide details on any individual visa case,” she explained.
Instead, individuals whose visas have been revoked “will be informed by the Consular Section at the US Embassy”.
She would not comment on further action against persons here. “…Further actions will be determined on the highest level of the US government,” she said. The removal of the restrictions will also be determined by the US government if the Secretary of State determines “there are no longer any adverse actions on US policy.”
Repeatedly refused
Lynch noted that Washington and the international community have been clear that they stand with the Guyanese people and that there would be consequences for individuals who seek to undermine democracy. “Over 130 countries are represented through various statements from the OAS, the Commonwealth, CARICOM, the EU, as well as multiple bilateral messages and calls for the process to be free and fair,” she said.
“The events following the March 2 elections, some of which I personally witnessed, indicate that there are forces that have repeatedly refused to accept the will of the people at the ballot box. Guyana’s non-democratic trajectory is dangerous for its citizens and for the hemisphere as a whole. I hope that Guyana’s leaders understand what is at stake if it continues down this path,” she added.
Pointing out that it has been more than 19 weeks since the elections took place and there has been no resolution, despite a full election recount and a ruling by Guyana’s apex court, the Caribbean Court of Justice that the national vote recount should be used to declare the winner, Lynch said that her country admires the patience of
Guyana’s citizenry. Nonetheless, she said that the US’ actions were clear that continuous efforts to delay a declaration will not be tolerated.
Lynch, who was an observer for the elections, said that there seemed a deliberate attempt to further stall the process although the recount results are clear. “There have been seven separate election results; five prepared without witnesses – by witnesses, I mean international and local observers, party agents and elections officials; two of those results were prepared with substantial observation,” she said.
“Both local and international observers stated that GECOM ran an election day that was free, fair and credible; the same was said about the recount with CARICOM observers, called the most “credible interlocutors”, stating that nothing precluded GECOM from declaring a winner using the national vote recount,” she added.
Asked if the US considered that there were tainted votes used in the recount, the ambassador said that CARICOM observers noted in their report that there nothing to prevent an announcement of the results. “They had the CARICOM scrutineers and they were determined to be the important interlocutors, and their words were there was nothing to prevent the announcement of the recount vote,” Lynch said.
Asked if the US government sees
PPP/C presidential candidate Irfaan Ali as the president-elect, she said the Donald Trump administration will “wait for a declaration from the Chairperson of GECOM.”
Highly disappointing
Lynch was also asked if the sanctions imposed already were premature since a declaration has not yet been made. She explained that the decision was based on the fact that the recount results show the PPP/C securing a victory over APNU+AFC. “The initial elections, as well as the recount, has had substantial observation efforts—international, local, party agents, party officials. As I said in my opening remarks, there were seven separate results for this elections; the two that were credible were from the initial elections and the Secretary of State has mentioned that we recognise the legitimate and credible count of the national vote recount,” she said.
And as it pertains to the timing of the sanctions, the ambassador pointed out that Washington has continuously stated that it hoped the issue would be resolved soonest. “The Secretary of State has been speaking out on this issue for several weeks and he is not alone. The State Department is not alone; the US is not alone. As I said earlier, we joined over 130 nations across the globe that are calling for an end to this electoral process,” she stressed.
“This turn of events is highly disappointing for the United States. The US has cautioned for weeks and for months, frankly. We stood by our word that should democracy be undermined in Guyana (action would be taken). We continue to hope that the will of the Guyanese people will be respected and will prevail. This country has a very bright future and we look very much to partnering with a democratically-elected government in Guyana,” Lynch later added.
Washington’s declaration in effect means that no matter what happens from this point onwards there would be no recognition for Granger even if he found some way to continue holding on to power. Observers have noted that the patience of Washington and its key allies here, like Canada and the UK, has been exhausted.
Eyebrows were raised on Wednesday over the US taking action even while a new elections-related case has landed in the High Court. Observers say Washington has grown tired of the contrived obstacles that have been thrown up to the declaration of the final result, including the launching of flimsy court cases. The latest case appeared to be the straw that broke the camel’s back.
With the Chief Justice expected to rule in the court matter filed this week, the US envoy said that she would not speak on it as the judicial process “will have to play itself out.”