Visa sanctions took immediate effect – US Ambassador
The ‘targeted’ visa sanctions imposed by the United States on Guyana Government and elections officials who have “undermined” the country’s democracy took immediate effect following the announcement on Wednesday.
“The visa restrictions took place immediately. People will be informed when they apply for a visa, or if they already have one and they plan to travel to the US. They will be informed that their visa has been revoked,” US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch, said during a virtual media engagement on Thursday.
It was noted that the Consular Section at the U.S. Embassy in Georgetown would inform those persons affected by the visa restriction.
US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, on Wednesday announced that visa restrictions have been imposed on top Guyana Government officials and all others who are involved in undermining Guyana’s democracy.
“Today I am announcing visa restrictions on individuals responsible for, or complicit in, the undermining of democracy in Guyana. The immediate family members of such persons may also be subject to restrictions,” Pompeo said during a State Department briefing.
“The Granger Government must respect the results of democratic elections and step aside,” Pompeo further asserted.
In a subsequent tweet, Pompeo said the new visa restrictions imposed on persons involved in electoral fraud sends a clear message of the consequences of subverting democracy and the rule of law.
It is also highly likely that the Canadian and United Kingdom governments would take similar measures soon.
During Thursday’s engagement, Ambassador Lynch was pressed for details about those persons who were affected by the restriction, but give no further information. She explained that US privacy laws prevents the disclosure of any visa records.
“Visa records are confidential under U.S. law, so we are not able to identify the individuals or provide details on any individual visa case…and I’m not going to get into numbers. We reserve the right to review any actions that are occurring in Guyana at this time, and we will review various cases and actions, and make determinations as necessary going further,” she stated.
According to the US diplomat, her administration will look at further targeted visa restrictions, if necessary, and she pointed out that only the Secretary of State has the authority to remove these visa sanctions.
Further questioned about what the next stage of sanctions from the US would look like if Guyana’s democracy continues to be undermined, Ambassador Lynch pointed out that the highest levels of the US Government would have to determine this, but she directed this publication to look at examples already out there.
She went on to defend the timing of Secretary Pompeo’s announcement, reminding that the US has, for “several weeks”, warned about the serious consequences that would be undertaken should democracy continue to be undermined here.
“So there is nothing coincidental about the date by which he made that statement,” Lynch posited, after being asked about possibly trying to influence ongoing legal proceedings.
The High Court is currently hearing a matter filed by APNU/AFC supporter Misegna Jones, who is seeking to block the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) from make a declaration of the March 2 elections using the recount figures.
According to the US envoy, her country is not alone regarding the growing intolerance of the international community over attempts to undermine democracy in Guyana. She noted that the US is among more than 130 nations under the umbrella of global organisations that are all calling for a swift end to the electoral process based on the recount results. Among those nations are The Commonwealth, the European Union (EU), the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Caribbean Community (Caricom), and she said there are bilateral statements from most continents.
She outlined that the recount exercise was supervised by a Caricom observer team, along with other local and international observers, who have all concluded that the process was transparent and the results deriving from that process must be the basis of a declaration of the winner.
As such, Ambassador Lynch noted that the events that unfolded in Guyana since polling day more than four months ago are “highly disappointing”, and she stressed the need for the will of the Guyanese people to be respected.
“The international community has been clear that it stands with the Guyanese people and that there would be consequences for individuals who seek to undermine democracy… 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 stated.
With Guyana and the US partnering in the areas of security, governance and prosperity, the diplomat stressed that if the country continues to subvert democracy and the rule of law, then it will pose implicit dangers to the hemisphere. (G8)
