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Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday drew sharp parallels between Guyana’s unfolding situation and Colombia’s dark past, warning that sections of the political opposition, judiciary and media appear to be compromised by money and influence from criminal enterprises connected to U.S indicted businessmen Nazar and Azruddin Mohamed.

“We are watching the people who are going to not perform their duties because they are compromised… we are watching them carefully,” Jagdeo said at a PPP’s press conference on Thursday at Freedom House, Georgetown.

He accused certain local actors of attempting to cover up the alleged activities of the Mohameds, who are both facing extradition to the United States on serious financial crimes, by using their wealth and influence to manipulate public opinion and key institutions.

“That’s story that will never be written by the Stabroek News…because their objective was not to inform the public but to help the Mohameds cover up their surreptitious visit to the Venezuelan Embassy,” Jagdeo said.

According to Jagdeo, Nazar presented a letter from the Venezuelan Embassy inviting him to a youth conference scheduled for July 25 2025, as justification for his controversial visit to the embassy. But according to Jagdeo, Nazar’s visit to the embassy actually took place in August, weeks after the event had concluded.

“It could not have been for that youth conference. It had to be for something else,” Jagdeo said as he sought to establish a clear link between the Mohameds and actors in Venezuela.

He argued that given existing U.S. sanctions and allegations that the Mohameds were involved in moving gold for Venezuelan generals, the visit to embassy was suspicious and warranted serious scrutiny.

Jagdeo pointed out that the U.S. extradition request for Nazar and Azruddin was finalised on October 26 — the same day a deadly terrorist incident occurred in Guyana which saw the bombing of a gas station in the city by a Venezuelan national belonging to one of the most notorious gangs in the neighbouring country.

The extradition request was signed on October 27; Jagdeo suggested that persons linked to the Mohameds might have been tipped off about the impending request, referencing a social media post by Odessa Primus, General Secretary of Mohamed’s WIN party, on October 28 which hinted at “a big distraction” within 24 hours.

The Vice President also criticised the magistrate who granted bail to the father and son last Friday when they were arrested following the extradition request, arguing that the decision appeared to favour convenience over the seriousness of the charges.

He noted that the father and son were allowed to post cash bail of $150,000, a move he described as “unprecedented,” and said it sent a troubling message to the world about Guyana’s handling of serious extradition cases.

“Bail was set at $150,000 cash, because you didn’t need to get a draft. It was Friday afternoon, and normally it wasn’t the seriousness of the offence that determined bail. “It was a convenience to the Mohameds so they could pay $150,000 in cash. People don’t get bail for that. You can imagine the world looking on at Guyana and saying, ‘What is happening in that country?’”

Meanwhile, the Vice President also cited statements made in the U.S. Congress by Representatives Carlos Gimenez and Maria Salazar, who expressed concern about Venezuelan efforts to undermine Guyana’s democracy through “pro-Maduro puppet candidate Azruddin Mohamed.”

“This is not random,” Jagdeo asserted. “These statements reflect information available to U.S. intelligence that connects the Mohameds to broader regional networks.”

He said Guyana must act swiftly to prevent the infiltration of its institutions by criminally connected individuals. Drawing comparisons to Colombia’s Pablo Escobar era, Jagdeo warned: “They compromised the judiciary, they bought sections of the police, the army, the media, and even the executive. When criminals buy influence across all sectors, the result is kidnappings, bombings, and national instability. We must cut that culture out early.”

Jagdeo accused “half of the media” of refusing to challenge the Mohameds’ alleged criminality and said their portrayal of Azruddin’s recent entry into Parliament was “a disgrace.”

“They called it a historic day instead of the worst day in our parliamentary history,” he said. “A man facing extradition to the United States, sanctioned by OFAC, now sits in Parliament and the media celebrates it.”

The Vice President also accused some APNU members of being “bought” by the Mohameds, claiming that sections of its leadership accepted money and subsequently softened their stance.

“APNU’s leadership is compromised. They didn’t resist at the elections because they were paid off. Darren Wade himself said he sought clearance from the leadership to defend the Mohameds. That’s why they have been silent on the legality of the extradition,” Jagdeo charged.

He contrasted this silence with the opposition’s aggressive reaction in previous cases involving PPP officials.

“When Ashni Singh and Winston Brassington were arrested, they were paraded in chains and APNU celebrated. But with the Mohameds, all they could talk about was the manner of arrest. Why? Because they’ve been bought,” Jagdeo said.

The Vice President warned that if Guyana fails to confront these linkages decisively, the country risks institutional collapse:

“When people with ill-gotten wealth like Azruddin Mohamed and others believe they can buy out politicians, media houses, and the courts, it marks the beginning of a failed society. We must guard against that with everything we have.”

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Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday blasted Opposition MP and U.S.-indicted businessman Azruddin Mohamed for what he described as a “brazen act of arrogance,” after Mohamed drove his luxury Lamborghini to Parliament earlier this week — reportedly without valid insurance.

Speaking during his press conference at Freedom House, Robb Street, Georgetown, Jagdeo said the move was intended to provoke and demonstrate impunity.

“He brought his Lamborghini to show me… that’s what he said,” Jagdeo recounted. “From what I gather, that vehicle doesn’t even have insurance. Any ordinary Guyanese caught driving without insurance would be in serious trouble. But he drove it to Parliament to show Jagdeo that he can break the laws of the country.”

The Vice President stressed that driving an uninsured vehicle on public roads is illegal, noting that such actions endanger lives. “If you hit someone without insurance, you’re in big trouble. Yet the police just stood by and allowed it. That’s unacceptable,” he said.

Jagdeo went further, warning that Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken should be held accountable if any harm occurs as a result of the vehicle being on the road. “If a child or anyone gets hit and injured or killed by that Lamborghini, Hicken should face criminal charges too, because he allowed it,” Jagdeo declared.

The Vice President accused Mohamed of flaunting his wealth to defy the rule of law and taunt state institutions. “He wasn’t showing the finger to me — he was showing the finger to the country, to law and order,” Jagdeo said. “What he’s saying is, ‘I can steal, I can evade taxes, I can buy off people in the police, the GRA, or the courts and get away with it.’ That’s the message.”

Jagdeo reminded that U.S. financial records show a cashier’s cheque for US$680,085 issued by a California bank to purchase the same Lamborghini from Lamborghini Newport Beach, even though it was declared in Guyana for just US$75,000.

“This is the same Lamborghini the U.S. has tied to his financial dealings,” Jagdeo said. “But rather than address that illegality, some sections of the media romanticised it… like it was a show of glamour. That’s complicity.”

He argued that Mohamed’s behaviour reflects a deeper arrogance and belief that he is above the law. “It’s criminal behaviour, flaunted in people’s faces,” Jagdeo said. “If your child had been hit down by that car, you would not be cheering it on. They think there are two sets of laws in this country… one for them and one for everyone else.”

The Vice President maintained that such actions underscore a culture of entitlement and disregard for accountability. “They believe they can do anything in Guyana and get away with it,” Jagdeo said. “That’s not showing off a car…that’s showing contempt for the law.”

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Yeison Andres Sanchez Vallejo, a 33-year-old Colombian national was Tuesday detained at the Kurupukari Police Checkpoint during a routine security screening procedure. The man was in a Lethem-bound minibus.

Police Headquarters in a statement said the foreign national had in his possession a passport bearing the immigration stamp “RLL” (Refused Leave to Land).

Subsequent checks revealed Yeison is reportedly among persons sanctioned by the United States of America in relation to drug trafficking activities.

Yeison is among six individuals [four Guyanese and two Colombians] who were sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in June this year. They are accused of trafficking tons of cocaine from South America to the United States, Europe, and the Caribbean.

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Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has condemned statements by newly sworn-in Opposition parliamentarian Azruddin Mohamed, who alleged shortly after taking his oath on Monday last that the 2025 general elections were rigged, calling the claim “outrageous” and “evidence of lunacy.”

Speaking at his weekly press conference on Thursday at Freedom House, Robb Street, Georgetown, Jagdeo criticised Mohamed’s statement to reporters at the ACCC on Monday, in which he claimed, “I won the elections.”

Azruddin, facing U.S sanctions and now indicted on several charges relating to gold smuggling, tax evasion, and financial crimes had formed the We Invest in Nationhood political movement to contest the September elections.

“Not even APNU made such outrageous claims,” Jagdeo said. “When asked for proof, he couldn’t provide any. He even suggested the GECOM website went down for three hours and votes were altered … but nobody else, including international observers or APNU, has ever made such allegations. All Statements of Poll were uploaded the same night.”

Jagdeo also criticised sections of the media present during Mohamed’s comments for not challenging him. “What is appalling is that the media didn’t ask, ‘Are you a madman?’ or ‘Are you a lunatic?’ How can you make such an outrageous claim and repeat it publicly without evidence?” he said.

He further pointed to Mohamed’s online supporters, including paid accounts and suspected Venezuelan trolls, noting that attempts to defend his claim lacked credibility. “If your boss tells you he won the elections without proof, you have to call it what it is — lunacy,” Jagdeo said.

Jagdeo alleged that Mohamed’s entry into politics was a calculated move to shield himself from pending legal action abroad. “They knew they were under global investigation since APNU days,” he said. “When the U.S. sanctions came in June 2024, indictment and extradition were inevitable. Lawyers probably advised them that being in politics might help. But in Guyana, even the Leader of the Opposition has no immunity — only the President does.”

Jagdeo also referenced his own experiences as Opposition Leader, when he was repeatedly questioned and detained by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), emphasising that Mohamed’s quest for the presidency is driven by self-preservation rather than public service.

Describing Mohamed as “a mediocre mind” obsessed with power, Jagdeo said, “He mumbles and strings together words, thinking it will pass as reasoned argument. Claiming he won the presidency without evidence is delusional. This is not politics …  it is madness dressed as ambition.”

The Vice President warned that Mohamed’s obsession with the presidency and attempts to evade justice will not succeed, either domestically or internationally.

“This is a man using politics to try to protect himself from accountability,” Jagdeo said. “It is feeble, unhinged, and completely unacceptable in a democratic society.”

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See below the full statement issued: 

The Government of Guyana has noted that some sections of the media are attempting to sensationalise selected parts of the Auditor General’s report that was released on Monday, November 3, 2025.

We would like to point out that the PPP/C government reintroduced auditor general reports from 1993 and has consistently worked with the Auditor General to ensure that these reports are completed and presented to the National Assembly on or before the statutory deadline. Prior to the PPP/C assuming office in 1992, the PNC had failed to present the auditor general reports for 10 years, from 1982 to 1992, denying citizens the opportunity to know how their tax dollars were spent.

Recognising that the Auditor General’s report is a vital instrument of transparency, accountability, and public trust, successive PPP/C governments have consistently provided the Auditor General and his staff with all the support necessary to fulfill their statutory mandate.

In this regard, the Accounting Officers have not only responded to queries from the Auditor General but have also taken concrete steps to improve accountability and transparency by implementing the recommendations in his report. Between 2022 and 2024, the implementation rate of recommendations has been the highest in over a decade. In the 2024 Auditor General Report, for example, the government has implemented (either fully or partially) more than 80 percent of the recommendations made in the previous year’s report.

We have also strengthened our system to prevent overpayments and have recovered these funds. Indeed, over the past three years, all contractor overpayments have been fully recovered —an unprecedented achievement.  Because of the implementation of the recommendations in the Audit Report, the number and severity of breaches have also reduced markedly. More importantly, these efforts demonstrate this government’s commitment to transparency and accountability in public financial management, as well as to the rule of law.

Another notable achievement, which was reported by the Auditor in his 2024 report but conveniently ignored by some media houses, is that the total number of audit opinions issued during the period September 2024 to August 2025 amounted to 254, which is unprecedented, and covered various agencies, including Public Enterprises, Statutory Bodies, Trade Unions, Foreign Funded Projects, Municipalities, Neighbourhood Democratic Councils, and Constitutional Agencies.

Responsible reporting will provide context when referencing the findings of the Auditor General’s Report. Any objective assessment would therefore acknowledge the substantial progress that has been made. Instead, we have seen selective reporting by some sections of the media intended to create mischief.

END

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