PRESIDENT, Dr. Irfaan Ali has said that U.S.-sanctioned businessman Azruddin Mohamed poses a direct threat to Guyana’s national defence, sovereignty, and diplomatic relations.
The Head of State made these remarks in a public statement, where he dismantled what he described as a false narrative being pushed by the businessman and his handlers who claim that the government has played a role in the sanctions against him.

“Let me be pellucidly clear. Azruddin Mohamed was sanctioned by the United States government after they would have found evidence, strong enough to have OFAC sanctioning him. OFAC sanctions are not ordinary sanctions. They are sanctions that seek specific measures,” President Ali stated.

Nazar Mohamed, his son Azruddin and their businesses, namely Mohamed’s Enterprise, Hadi’s World and Team Mohamed’s Racing, on June 11 2024, were sanctioned by U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which oversees sanctions against individuals and entities tied to illicit activities and hostile foreign governments.

In a June 2024 statement, the OFAC stated, “Azruddin and Mohamed’s Enterprise evaded Guyana’s tax on gold exports, and defrauded the Guyanese government of tax revenues by under-declaring their gold exports to Guyanese authorities. Between 2019 and 2023, Mohamed’s Enterprise omitted more than 10 thousand kilogrammes of gold from import-and-export declarations, and avoided paying more than US$50 million in duty taxes to the Government of Guyana.”

Dr. Ali said that the businessman is a national security risk for the country, noting: “Yes, he is a risk for Guyana, he is a risk for many reasons.”
The President said Mohamed threats to the country’s financial infrastructure, credibility in the management of natural resources, and the integrity of diplomatic relationships.
“Ask the commercial banks why they cannot conduct financial transactions with him. Ask the insurance companies why they cannot conduct transactions with him. Ask the persons who rented

his buildings why they had to exit his buildings and not conduct financial transactions with him,” he urged, adding: “So, yes, he is a risk to our financial system.”
The President went on to say: “Yes, is he a threat, security threat to our financial system? Yes. Is he a threat to our natural resources, credibility, and transparency? Yes.”
However, this threat, he noted, extends beyond financial matters, explaining that the businessman also poses a threat to Guyana’s diplomacy and its relationship with key international allies, particularly the United States.

“Our diplomacy is linked to the defence of our sovereignty and territorial integrity. In those sanctions, the US government has made it very clear that the US Government or agencies or businesses cannot conduct business with him. So, is he a threat to our diplomacy? Yes.”
U.S. officials, Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar and Congressman Carlos Gimenez recently also warned Guyana about the threats that sanctioned persons pose to the nation’s democracy and sovereignty.

In a post on her X (formerly Twitter) page yesterday, US Congresswoman Salazar said: “We remain deeply concerned about efforts to undermine democracy in Guyana. As a strategic ally of the United States, Guyana deserves leaders who respect democratic values. Individuals sanctioned for illicit activities must not be allowed to jeopardise this vital relationship.”
On Monday, Congressman Gimenez warned that Venezuela is attempting to destabilise Guyana’s sovereignty by backing the U.S.-sanctioned businessman.
In a post on ‘X,’ Gimenez wrote: “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.”
Turning attention to the pressing national security concern, the border controversy with Venezuela, President Ali added, “…the greatest threat is that of Venezuela. Is Azruddin Mohamed a

threat to the defence of this border against Venezuela? Yes, because our key ally has identified him to the extent that he is sanctioned by them.”
The U.S. government and other international and regional partners have long supported Guyana’s sovereignty and urged respect for the nation’s territorial integrity in the ongoing border controversy with Venezuela.

To this end, President Ali dismissed Mohamed’s claims of political victimisation, calling them “a lie of the highest order” and made it clear that investigations into the businessman predated his entry into politics.

“These things did not come about yesterday… the Government of Guyana doesn’t influence what [U.S.] people say. They have an entire office, an entire infrastructure that verifies that research, that gives them information,” he said.