‘There is video evidence of Mohameds visiting Venezuelan Embassy’ – Jagdeo

Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has maintained the Venezuelan Ambassador to Guyana recently disclosed that one of the United States-sanctioned Mohameds had visited the Venezuelan Embassy in Georgetown to apply for visas.

The revelation was first made on Tuesday by Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hugh Todd.

But US-sanctioned businessman turned presidential hopeful Azruddin Mohamed has denied ever visiting the Venezuelan Embassy or applying for a Venezuelan visa.

Whilst addressing a public meeting hosted by the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) in Alexander Village tonight, Jagdeo announced that there is video evidence of the visit.

“[Minister Todd] was told by the ambassador that they’re applying for visa to Venezuela. Why are the Mohameds applying now for visa to Venezuela for all countries in the world? Because Venezuela does not have an extradition treaty with the United States of America and the links are being formulated…There is video evidence of the Mohameds going into the Venezuelan Embassy,” Jagdeo said.

Back in June 2024, the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued the sanctions against businessmen Azruddin and his father Nazar and their businesses, stating that the Mohamed’s Enterprise smuggled some 10,000 kg of gold out of Guyana between 2019 and 2023, and avoided paying more than US$50 million in duty taxes.

Mohamed subsequently formed a political party called “We Invest in Nationhood” and is running as the presidential candidate in the upcoming elections on September 1.

The revelation of the Mohameds’ visit to the Venezuelan Embassy comes on the heels of US Congressman Carlos Gimenez raising concerns over what he had described as Venezuela’s attempt to influence internal affairs in Guyana, specifically through Mohamed whom he had labelled as a “pro-Maduro puppet candidate”.

On Tuesday, Minister Todd had disclosed that he had summoned Venezuela’s Ambassador to Guyana, Carlos Amador Perez Silva, to a meeting on the issue.

“He confirmed that the Mohameds visited the embassy to apply for visas to go to Venezuela, specifically Caracas. So, that is of concern to us because we can see or we can follow a pattern now that has been evolving, and I think that is a concern to us as a people and as a nation because that can pose a threat to our sovereignty, particularly this particular moment that we have our regional and national elections,” Todd had noted.

“We know that we’ve seen previously that you can have foreign interference, and of course we have to ensure that we are very cautious because we cannot rule out any attempt by Venezuela to use any option available to derail our electoral process,” Todd had further expressed.

Todd had also said, “it is clear that the Mohameds are close to Nicholas Maduro and his regime, that can pose a serious threat to our sovereignty, and it can also affect our relations with the United States and our traditional partners. So I think it is of grave concern to us as a people and as a nation.”