Trump recognises St Vincent election result while refusing to accept Biden’s victory

WASHINGTON (CMC) — The Trump Administration Friday recognised the result of the November 5 General Election in St Vincent and the Grenadines while refusing to accept the resounding victory for US President-elect Joe Biden two days earlier.

“The United States congratulates the people of St Vincent and the Grenadines and Prime Minister Gonsalves on the completion of their free and fair elections, and looks forward to deepening our partnership,” said US Secretary of State Michael R Pompeo in a State Department statement.

“Our two countries are friends and neighbours, with a shared commitment to the rule of law, and we will continue to work together to promote security, economic prosperity and democratic rights for people throughout the Caribbean,” he said, adding, “We commend the people of St Vincent and the Grenadines for upholding the democratic heritage of the hemisphere.”trump recognises St Vincent election while refusing to accept Biden’s victory

But since the November 3 Presidential Election in the United States, President Donald J Trump has yet to concede the election loss to former US Democratic Vice-president Biden and his vice-presidential running mate, Kamala Harris, the daughter of an Indian mother and Jamaican father.

Instead, Trump has been making baseless allegations of voter fraud and election rigging.

Pompeo, Trump’s top diplomat, has also refused to recognise Biden’s triumph, saying there would be “a smooth transition to a second Trump Administration”.

The US secretary of state has announced plans to travel this weekend and early next week to France, Turkey, Georgia, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, where he will meet with leaders — all of whom have already congratulated Biden on his victory.

Biden has described as an “embarrassment” Trump’s refusal to concede defeat, saying it would hurt Trump’s legacy.

“I know from my discussions with foreign leaders thus far that they are hopeful that the United States democratic institutions are viewed once again as being strong and enduring,” Biden told reporters.

“But I think at the end of the day, it’s all going to come to fruition on January 20 [when Biden will be sworn in as the 46th president of the United States], and between now and then, my hope and expectation is that the American people do know and do understand that there has been a transition.”

Last Saturday, the Caribbean Community (Caricom) Election Observation Mission for the November 5 General Election in St Vincent and the Grenadines concluded that the polls were “free and fair and free from fear”, and that the outcome “reflected the will of the people”.

The incumbent Unity Labour Party (ULP) of Prime Minister Dr Ralph E Gonsalves was returned to power for an historic, unpreceded fifth term, defeating the main Opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) of Dr Godwin Friday.

The ULP won nine seats to five for the Opposition party.