The United Kingdom has joined other world powers in upping the pressure on the David Granger-led APNU/AFC Coalition to step aside and allow for a smooth democratic transition of government to take place, almost five months after the elections were held.
On Friday, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, hinted that his country has already started the process of “putting those consequences in place” should the Coalition persist in preventing the will of the people from being respected.
“Any government sworn in on the basis of non-credible results will face strong international condemnation and consequences – we have started the process of putting those consequences in place,” Foreign Secretary Raab said in a statement.
The national recount has shown that the Irfaan Ali-led PPP/C has won the elections with 233,336 votes. But Granger and a few of his top aides, with the help of elements within the electoral machinery, are refusing to give up power.
“It has been over 4 months since elections in Guyana – no electorate should have to wait that long for a result. The UK is disappointed by the ongoing attempts to frustrate the will of the people. The Caribbean Community scrutinised recount cleared the way to declare a legitimate result. That should now happen,” the statement added.
The UK is a major developmental partner of Guyana and has been actively involved in funding several projects over the past years.
The growing level of intolerance by the international community is evident and from all indications, more severe actions will be taken against the Granger Government, if it continues to hold firm on its position of not conceding defeat.
US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, Wednesday, announced that visa sanctions have been imposed on top Government and elections officials and all others who are involved in undermining Guyana’s democracy.
Those visa revocations took immediate effect, meaning all those officials who have been impacted by that decision will not be able to travel to the US.
In a statement on Wednesday, Global Affairs Canada, also demanded a “swift and transparent” conclusion to the electoral process and pledged to hold accountable all those persons who prevent it.
Experts have suggested that if the travel restrictions imposed by the US authorities on Guyana’s top Government and electoral officials do not result in meaningful changes, it is more than likely that International Powers will step up the level of sanctions needed to compel those officials to abide by the rule of law and ensure that the will of the people is respected.
