–says his entry into gov’t could damage investment climate, derail bilateral ties

United States Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole Theriot, has voiced serious concerns over the potential inclusion of a US-sanctioned Azruddin Mohamed within Guyana’s government, warning that such a development is “concerning”, which could have far-reaching diplomatic and economic consequences.

Speaking candidly with reporters on Wednesday, Ambassador Theriot made it clear that the U.S. Government, particularly the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), views any elevation of Mohamed, currently the leader of the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, as problematic.

“Yes, we are concerned anytime an OFAC-sanctioned individual has the potential to become a member of government…It’s problematic in multiple ways… We have to be very careful if that person is involved. Let’s say we were on a certain committee; we would have to be very careful in working with that committee. We have to make sure that we didn’t work with him specifically,” Theriot stated.

The Ambassador elaborated that U.S. law strictly limits engagement with individuals under OFAC sanctions, making Mohamed’s potential entry into Parliament, whether in government or opposition, an issue of regulatory and reputational risk for both diplomatic missions and private sector interests.

“He would still be a member of government. So that would be a concern for us,” Theriot said when asked whether Mohamed’s presence in the opposition would still raise alarm.
But the Ambassador did not stop at government engagement.

She raised a more urgent concern, such as the ripple effects on U.S. investment and business confidence in Guyana.

“When you see an OFAC-sanctioned individual become a part of an official within a government, it sends concern through the private sector of the United States. So, you see US companies are often rethinking their relationships in the country. We’ve seen it in Afghanistan and other countries’ companies … they look to de-risk or even cut ties. And we’re in such a beautiful position right now. All these US companies want to come to Guyana. I don’t want that to change,” Theriot explained.

On Tuesday, WIN candidates Natasha Singh-Lewis and Duarte Hetsberger, both of whom disclosed that Demerara Bank recently moved to close their accounts.
The move followed their formal association with the WIN party, led by Mohamed, who, along with his father Nazar Mohamed was sanctioned by OFAC on June 11, 2024, for alleged gold smuggling and corruption.

Though WIN maintains that its candidates have no financial ties to the Mohamed family or their businesses, compliance analysts suggest that their appearance on the party list automatically flags them as affiliated with a sanctioned entity.

WIN is among six political parties contesting Guyana’s upcoming General and Regional Elections slated for September 1, 2025.
However, Mohamed remains absent from public campaign events and has yet to address the allegations or the sanctions directly.