Jose Cardenas, a Washington-based political consultant who has worked with the US State Department, has urged Guyana to be cognizant of the seriousness of even the threat of sanctions and the US resolve to use it in the worst-case scenario.
According to Cardenas, during a zoom interview with local media operatives on Saturday, the use of sanctions is a disincentive against persons who have malignant motives. Cardenas pointed out that the recount showed the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) to be the winners of the General and Regional Elections.
“If there is someone that contrives to thwart the will of the Guyanese people, Washington has measures it can impose on that individual, that relate to their ability to have a bank account in the United States or otherwise do banking in their private lives that touch the US economic system.”
“That person also can lose their ability to travel to the United States. Their visas to travel can be revoked. And if there is determined to be a government-wide conspiracy, just speculating here but it’s important to understand the options, absolutely the US can impose sectoral sanctions which can threaten the oil patrimony that Guyana now possesses.”
Many countries have already threatened “serious consequences” as well as sanctions against those who are attempting to violate the will of the Guyanese people that was expressed at the March 2, 2020 polls.
A 34-day national recount shows the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) victory by over 15,000 votes more than its main political rival – the caretaker APNU/AFC Coalition, which has since challenged the results.
