A pro-democracy and rights organization founded by late US President Jimmy Carter has flayed Guyanese banks for closing the accounts of dozens of opposition candidates because the party leader was sanctioned by the US a year ago.
The Carter Center, on the ground in Guyana ahead of general elections on Labor Day, Sept. 1, thinks that the banks might have misinterpreted the intentions of the US Treasury when it slapped sanctions on Azruddin Mohamed, the leader of the upstart We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) political party, campaigning to rave reviews in the country.
Although the party was formed only in late May, Mohamed — its flamboyant Lamborghini- and Ferrari-driving leader, 39 — appears to have captured the imagination of young voters in particular.
Mohamed and his dad, Nazar and former security ministry head Mae Thomas were sanctioned by the Office of Foreign Assets Control in June of last year for smuggling more than 10,000 kilos of gold to the US and for avoiding more than $50 million in taxes to his native Guyana. Thomas was tabbed for allegedly assisting the Mohameds in their business transactions. She has since been sent home.
Despite his troubles and threats by the ruling party to hand him over to American authorities, WIN has been self-financing its campaign throughout the country. It appears to pose a major threat to the two main parties that had controlled this former British colony since the 1950s.
In a pre-elections statement from an advanced team on the ground, the Center accused three local banks of “over-complying” with the terms of sanctions.
“The Carter Center is concerned that banks may be over-complying with U.S. sanctions, which undermines political participation and electoral integrity by discouraging people from participating fully in the political process,” the agency said in a statement.
The Center is among several international organizations that will monitor the elections, as it has done since the 1990s.
It stated that such actions could hinder candidates’ operations, noting that “the private sector has an important role to play in safeguarding democratic rights and freedoms and, as such, must ensure decisions do not discriminate against individuals for exercising those rights.”
WIN has openly accused the governing People’s Progressive Party of pressuring the banks to close more than for 40 accounts to help cripple it activities leading up to elections. It has also credibly complained that authorities have also leaned on domestic air operators not to fly WIN candidates to interior locations for meetings and political activities.
The Center further contended that mere political links and association with WIN candidates are not grounds for canceling bank accounts.
“Equitable treatment of candidates and political parties during elections, and the maintenance of an open and transparent campaign environment, are critical to ensuring the integrity of democratic elections and the right of every citizen to be elected. This right is a universal one and requires that states ensure that their citizens have the opportunity to run for elected office, free from unreasonable restrictions.”
