Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd, today disclosed that presidential hopeful Azruddin Mohamed and his father, Nazar Mohamed, who were both sanctioned by the United States, have applied for Venezuelan visas.
He made the disclosure during an interview shared by the Department of Public Information (DPI).
Minister Todd said that the government recently learnt of the Mohameds making frequent visits to the Venezuelan Embassy in Georgetown. He said he later summoned the Venezuelan Ambassador to Guyana, H.E. Carlos Amador Pérez Silva, who disclosed that the Mohameds have applied for visas to visit Caracas, Venezuela’s capital.
Todd highlighted that this move by the Mohameds is of grave concern to the Government of Guyana, particularly at this juncture where Venezuela has repeatedly threatened Guyana’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
He also reminded of recent disclosures by U.S. policymakers linking Azruddin Mohamed to Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro regime. Minister Todd said, “We see that as a move that connects what the congressmen in the United States have been saying with the action of the Mohameds here more recently in Georgetown.”
Last month, U.S. Congressman Carlos Gimenez, in a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), said, “In the US Congress we are alarmed by the regime in Venezuela’s attempt to undermine Guyana through its pro-Maduro puppet candidate Azruddin Mohamed, who is sanctioned by OFAC (Office of Foreign Assets Control).”
Further, the minister noted that the government will remain cautious and will not rule out any attempt by Venezuela to use any option available to derail Guyana’s electoral process. “So that is a concern to us so we can follow that pattern now that has been evolving and I think that is a concern to us as a people and as a nation because that can pose a threat to our sovereignty particularly this particular moment that we have our regional and national elections,” he said.
Minister Todd added that if it is confirmed that Azruddin Mohamed is indeed close to the Maduro regime, this will threaten Guyana’s sovereignty and affect the country’s relationship with the U.S.
