GUYANA’S Vice-President and People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has defended the government’s decision to hire a United States (U.S.) lobbying firm, emphasising that the move is a deliberate, high-level strategy to protect Guyana’s sovereignty.

During a press conference on Thursday at Freedom House, Georgetown, the Vice-President responded to questions about the government’s hiring of Continental Strategy, after tweets from U.S. congresspersons raised alarms about US-sanctioned businessman Azruddin Mohamed’s candidacy in the upcoming elections.

Documents filed by the company show that the Guyana government hired the firm for federal engagements and advocacy in America.

Vice-President Jagdeo made it clear that in the face of aggression from the Venezuelan regime that actively lobbies U.S. policymakers and circulates misinformation, Guyana cannot afford to stand alone on the international stage.

Engaging experts with influence in the U.S., he explained, is essential to maintaining the diplomatic support Guyana needs to safeguard its territorial integrity.

“We believe that the lobbying firm, because of their connection in the U.S. Government and their presence, this is a major form to help to fight off Venezuelan threat. They see more than what we have seen, they don’t share everything with us,” he said.

U.S Congresswoman, Maria Elvira Salazar has issued a firm warning that Guyanese must not allow sanctioned persons to jeopardise Guyana’s vital relationship with her nation.

Salazar, represents Florida’s 27th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. Her work on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and background in journalism, according to reports, have shaped her focus on international relations and national security issues.

Beyond jeopardising Guyana’s relationship with the U.S., Congressman Carlos Gimenez, on Monday, warned that the Bolivarian Republic is attempting to destabilise Guyana’s sovereignty by backing the U.S.-sanctioned businessman.

It is widely known that 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.

According to a statement from OFAC, this is related to the evasion of taxes on gold exports, noting that between 2019 and 2023, Mohamed’s Enterprise omitted more than 10,000 kilogrammes (kg) of gold from import and export declarations and avoided paying more than US$50 million in duty taxes to the Government of Guyana.

The Vice-President used the opportunity on Thursday to firm state that the government is not involved in shaping the lobbying firm’s day-to-day agenda and has not directed the firm to target any individual.

“We don’t tell the lobbyists what to do on a daily basis. We don’t tell them what to do on a daily basis,” the Vice-President said in response to claims that the lobbying firm has been instructed to raise concerns about the presidential hopeful with U.S officials.

President Dr. Irfaan Ali on Tuesday had told reporters that the government has been engaged in diplomatic work to guarantee that Guyana’s allies are well-informed on any threats posed by neighbouring Venezuela.

“We have a threat with Venezuela, you know that Venezuela has threatened the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Guyana,” he said.

The President further stated: ““We have the capability that is necessary with our allies to keep our allies informed and to work with us in ensuring that at a diplomatic level, our message and our communication is intact.”

Global and local stakeholders have consistently cautioned Guyanese about the implications of associating with persons who have been sanctioned for illicit activities.

There are several videos on social media in which Azruddin, who has entered politics under the banner We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), could be heard telling citizens he has been sanctioned by the Government of Guyana, when, in fact, it is the U.S. that has imposed severe sanctions on him.

Both President Ali and Vice-President Jagdeo have outlined the risks involved with being associated with the sanctioned Mohameds.

Dr. Jagdeo, on several occasions, has said that defying the sanctions by the US Treasury Department would jeopardise the stability of the country.

“We could shut down the entire financial system if the Mohameds had continued owning a Cambio licence. The banks cut all ties. Just imagine if they would continue allowing the Mohameds to do business with them; they could be subjected to US sanctions,” Jagdeo lamented.

The U.S. has been a close ally to Guyana in the areas of defence, the preservation of democracy, trade, social development, and other crucial areas of national importance.

In the face of aggression from Venezuela in the ongoing border controversy, United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during a visit to Guyana, had issued a stern warning to the Bolivarian, noting: “If they were to attack Guyana or attack ExxonMobil or anything like that, it would be a very bad day; a very bad week for them, and it would not end well.”

He added: “I’m not going to get into the details of what we’ll do. We’re not big on those kinds of threats; I think everybody understands.”