Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), emphasized on Thursday that the United States has substantial evidence supporting the sanctions imposed on businessman Azruddin Mohammed and others. This statement was made during his weekly press conference at Freedom House.
Jagdeo responded to inquiries about the sanctions by stating, “We don’t have to agree with the US on the information they have; the evidence of the criminality of the Mohameds exists independent of our opinions.” He highlighted comments from U.S. Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole Theriot, who noted that the U.S. possesses “a mountain load of evidence” justifying the sanctions.
Azruddin Mohammed, his father Nazar Mohammed, and former government official Mae Thomas were sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for alleged tax evasion on gold exports and corruption. Jagdeo reiterated, “Whether we agree with the evidence or not, they have it.”
He referenced a Reuters report from a year before the sanctions, which indicated that the Mohameds were under investigation by multiple U.S. agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The report suggested suspicions of smuggling Colombian cocaine and illegally mined Venezuelan gold, as well as laundering money for drug traffickers and sanctioned Russian nationals.
Jagdeo clarified, “It is not the PPP that accused the Mohameds of gold smuggling or drug trafficking; it was Reuters.” He further addressed tax evasion related to a Lamborghini owned by the Mohameds, noting that Azruddin had posted an inaccurate invoice on social media, prompting an investigation by the Guyana Revenue Authority.
“We did not sanction him, but we are obligated to act since he is sanctioned,” he stated, adding that several associates of Mohammed have also lost their visas due to their connections with him.
The Vice President emphasized that investigations by the Guyana Revenue Authority, the Financial Intelligence Unit, and the Guyana Police Force should proceed, while maintaining that he would refrain from interfering in ongoing inquiries because Mohammed is now considered a political opponent.
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