Govt. accused of using US lobby firm to attack Mohamed

Jul 01, 2025 News

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…drafts tweets label businessman as Maduro’s puppet

Kaieteur News – Businessman and We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) Presidential Candidate, Azruddin Mohamed has come under attack after a US-based lobbying firm hired by the Guyanese Government drafted a series of tweets accusing him of links to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

The move comes even as the PPP/C Government has been ramping up their attacks against Mohamed who has been attracting sizable gatherings during the many outreaches across the country. In some communities considered PPP strongholds, Mohamed has faced intimidation and attacks by PPP activists.

The five proposed tweets, prepared by Continental Strategy LLC, refer to Mohamed as a “pro-Maduro puppet” and were submitted to a U.S. congressional office as part of the firm’s lobbying efforts on behalf of the Government of Guyana. Already one Congressman Carlos Gimenez  published one of the tweets from his personal account, echoing the firm’s accusations. He stated:  “In the U.S. 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! The Western Hemisphere must remain a stronghold of freedom — not a breeding ground for communist dictatorships.”

According to public filings with the U.S. Department of Justice, the Guyanese Government signed a six-month agreement with Continental Strategy LLC in December 2024. The contract is worth US$50,000 per month and outlines that the firm would provide lobbying and government relations services to Guyana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The aim, according to the filing, is to: (1) increase U.S. trade and investment in Guyana; (2) assist in financial sector reforms; and (3) raise Guyana’s profile in the United States. The firm’s duties include lobbying, preparing and disseminating informational materials, and engaging directly with U.S. policymakers.

On June 23, John Barsa, a partner at Continental Strategy, emailed the Director of Communications for U.S. Congressman Carlos Gimenez, sharing the five draft tweets. In the email, Barsa clarified he was sending the material “on behalf of the Government of Guyana.”

The drafted tweets read as follows:

1. “US-sanctioned gold mogul Azruddin Mohamed is running for president in Guyana. This isn’t just a local scandal—it’s a warning. The Western Hemisphere must remain a stronghold for democracy, not a playground for authoritarian influence.”
2. “A sanctioned Maduro ally running for president in Guyana? This isn’t just politics—it’s a red flag. The Western Hemisphere must not become a safe haven for authoritarian expansion.”
3. “Venezuela’s attempt to encroach into Guyana through pro-Maduro puppet Azruddin Mohamed’s presidential run is alarming. The Western Hemisphere must remain a stronghold of freedom—not a breeding ground for communist dictatorships.”
4. “Maduro’s sanctioned puppet Azruddin Mohamed running for president in Guyana is Venezuela’s latest attempt to creep into a sovereign democracy. The Western Hemisphere must reject authoritarian influence. #Guyana #Venezuela #FreedomFirst”
5. “U.S.-sanctioned businessman Azruddin Mohamed, seen as sympathetic to Maduro-style politics.”

These tweets were included in Continental Strategy’s public filing with the U.S. Department of Justice. In a swift response, Mohamed said it has emerged beyond any reasonable doubt that the “PPP-led Government of Guyana has used taxpayer’s funds to finance the US lobbying firm to launch a campaign aimed at falsely portraying me as an agent of the Maduro regime in Venezuela.” Mohamed said he rejected Venezuela’s claim to the Essequibo. “My father is Essequibo-born. I would never betray the soil my family is rooted in. I stand firmly for Guyana’s sovereignty; I always have and always will,” Mohamed.

He said documents and filings under the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) show that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs paid the U.S. lobbying firm Continental Strategy $50,000 USD per month, and a total of over $300,000 USD, to distribute defamatory information and push a misleading narrative about me and my family to American lawmakers, including false tweets describing me as a “pro-Maduro puppet” and a “threat to democracy.” This is not the first time they have done this.

“What we are witnessing is not foreign policy. Once again, this is the PPP using a foreign nation to attack me, my reputation and my credibility. By falsely linking me to a hostile regime, the Government is deliberately placing my safety and that of my family at risk. They are attempting to delegitimise my candidacy through deception and fearmongering.”

Mohamed said this follows a deeply troubling pattern by the administration, noting that among other things the PPP allegedly spreading lies and misinformation about political opponents; state media being weaponized to defame Guyanese and giving false information to foreign governments to persecute citizens. “I am currently in consultation with my legal team about pursuing civil and criminal action against the Government of Guyana for issuing and financing these false claims through a registered foreign agent. I am also exploring diplomatic channels to ensure this abuse is exposed. I urge every Guyanese, regardless of political persuasion, to be vigilant. If they can do this to me, they can do it to any one of us. We must not allow this dangerous precedent to stand. On September 1st, Guyana has a chance to choose a different path; a path where political competition is not met with persecution,” the statement concluded.

Mohamed, who was sanctioned by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in June 2024, officially launched his presidential bid in May 2025 under the WIN party banner. The party recently faced a setback when the Guyana Elections Commission, rejected its proposed symbol—the jaguar—on the grounds that it is a national emblem depicted on the Guyana Coat of Arms and therefore cannot be used for political purposes.

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• Azruddin Mohamed, Muduro’s puppet, Nicolás Maduro, Pro-Maduro Puppet, sanctioned, US-based lobbying firm, We Invest in Nationhood

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