Election Riggers to be informed of visa revocation – US Ambassador

Jul 17, 2020 News

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By Kemol King
The US Embassy informed the press yesterday that those persons found to be undermining democracy in Guyana, and those who are complicit, will be informed that their visas have been revoked, and that they will not be allowed to travel to the United States of America.
US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch, hosted a virtual press briefing yesterday to discuss the announcement of those sanctions by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo the day before, which form part of an “initial tranche of visa restrictions”. Pompeo demanded that President David Granger step aside, as his coalition has actively been supporting the frustration of a declaration of the results of the transparent recount process.
The Ambassador gave few details of the sanctions being imposed, pointing to US privacy laws preventing her from doing so.
“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 would not say how many persons are involved or what categories they fit under, only that the restrictions have already begun and that such action is long overdue. The Consular Affairs section of the US Embassy, Kaieteur News understands, will be reaching out to the offenders to notify them.
Kaieteur News understands too that in excess of 50 persons have been targeted with visa restrictions so far, including Government ministers, APNU+AFC officials, GECOM officers, judicial officers, coalition financiers and even media operatives.

Lynch indicated that more persons may be added in a future tranche, as the embassy reviews various cases and actions being taken by persons at this time. Asked how persons may have these restrictions removed, Lynch said that Pompeo has the authority and that he could so do if he determines that there are no longer any adverse impacts on US foreign policy.
The Ambassador would not comment on any escalating sanctions, should the APNU+AFC government refuse to demit office, explaining that such action would depend on decision-makers at the highest levels of the US Government. However, she offered that examples around the globe would offer a fair idea of what could come.
“These restrictions are under the authority of the Immigration and Nationality Act, section 212(a)(3)(C),” the Ambassador said, “to restrict visas to those whose entry into the United States would have potentially serious adverse foreign-policy consequences.”
Lynch said that Pompeo’s announcement clearly indicates that there are consequences to subverting democracy and the rule of law. In this regard, the US, she underscored, is driven by the Inter-American Democratic Charter, a document countries in the hemisphere signed on to which requires them to defend democracy when it is threatened.

One reporter asked how the US Government could justify demanding Granger to step aside when a declaration has not yet been made. Lynch noted that there are about seven results, but underscored the US Government’s confidence in the results coming out of the national recount, which shows that the Granger Government was unsuccessful in its bid for re-election.
Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield, had stated in a preliminary report to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) following the recount, that there were votes tainted by voter impersonation and irregularities, in line with allegations being made by the coalition to discredit the elections. Pointed to this, Lynch reminded of the findings of the CARICOM Scrutineer Team, which Granger had deemed the “most legitimate interlocutors” on the Guyana situation.
“The national vote recount considered all of that,” Lynch said, “and they had the CARICOM Scrutineers there, as well as the OAS observers. The CARICOM Scrutineers were determined to be the most legitimate interlocutors for this process, and their words at the end were that they witnessed nothing that would prevent a declaration based on the national vote recount.”
The Ambassador did not mince words on the protraction of the electoral process.
“As you know all too well,” she said, “it has been more than 19 weeks since the general and regional elections took place in Guyana. There has yet to be a 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. 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. 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.
The Guyanese people have exercised their civic right and they deserve to be heard. But, due to continued electoral improprieties, the people have NOT been heard after 19 long weeks.”
“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.”
Even then, there were questions posed to Lynch over the timing of the sanctions, being announced when there is a showdown in the High Court over the legality of the recount. In response, she pointed to statements Pompeo has been making for several weeks, and explained that there is nothing coincidental about the timing of his announcement. She refused to comment on the judicial process, as well, stating that that has to play itself out.
The US Ambassador made a point of stressing that GECOM Chair, retired Justice Claudette Singh, is a person of utmost integrity and a distinguished jurist who has given decades of her life in service to her country. After the Chair had announced her decision that the recount results must form the basis of a declaration, the APNU+AFC camp had begun to heap aspersions on her integrity, with one coalition member, Aubrey Norton, stating that the GECOM Chair is “digging a hole for herself”. Later on, APNU+AFC supporters placed a miniature effigy of Singh into a makeshift coffin and pretended to have a funeral on the streets for her.
“I am shocked and appalled at the dangerous statements and actions that I have seen directed at the Chairwoman,” Lynch said, and called for all Guyanese to speak out in defence of her.
Moving forward, the US Ambassador reminded that over 130 countries are represented in various statements from the Organisation of American States (OAS), the Commonwealth, CARICOM and the European Union, as well as multiple bilateral messages and calls for the process to be free and fair.
Her closing statements were: “Finally, I’ll say that this turn of events is highly disappointing for the United States. The US has cautioned for weeks, and for months quite frankly, that we stood by our word, should democracy be undermined in Guyana. We continue to hope that the will of the Guyanese people will be respected and will prevail. This country, as you all know, has a very bright future and we look very much to partnering with a democratically elected Government in Guyana.”

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