On June 11th, 2024, the United States Office of Foreign Assets Control announced sanctions on three Guyanese individuals: Azzrudin Mohamed, Nazar Mohamed, and former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labor, Mae Thomas. Thomas, who is accused of accepting financial gifts in exchange for favors, has since resigned from her post.
The sanctions exerted a penetrating effect on Mohameds Enterprises. Within 48 hours of the announcement of the sanctions, the Bank of Guyana revoked the Cambio license of the Mohameds. Although their gold dealer license has not been revoked, this publication understands that the Guyana Gold Board has subsequently suspended doing business with the Mohameds. The Government of Guyana, however, has expressed that they will proceed with caution from here on and has no immediate plans to seize the firearms or revoke the firearm licenses of the Mohameds.
The Government of Guyana has said, via the Minister of Home Affairs, Hon. Robeson Benn, that no further actions will be taken against the Mohameds in response to US Sanctions of the father/son duo, proprietors of Mohameds Enterprises and other large scale businesses, until the US provides evidence of alleged corruption.
“We will make decisions based on information that we have…We have to be careful to make practical responses to issues. It couldn’t be, in any event, while reviews are ongoing, we don’t precipitate actions that will put people at risk.”
Hon. Robeson Benn, Minister of Home Affairs. Friday, June 13, 2024.
The Guyana Government said it has written to the US Authorities and is awaiting their response to Guyana’s request for the US to provide evidence of the corruption of which they accused the Mohameds and on which they based the crippling sanctions.
“As promised last week, I dispatched under my hand as advised by the U.S. Department of Justice the requisite requests for information, statements, evidence, depositions, documents or other exhibits relating to the publication by the US Treasury in respect of the sanctions imposed on Nazar Mohamed, Azruddin Mohamed, Mohamed Enterprise and Mae Thomas, as well as the designated entities of Hadi’s World and Team Mohamed Racing Team…. The Government of Guyana has already made it very clear that these grave allegations of criminal conduct will be thoroughly investigated by the relevant law enforcement agencies of the state and in this regard we have requested the information and the evidence etcetera that are in the possession of the American authorities and we did so under the relevant Treaty.”
Mohabir Anil Nandlall – Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs. Tuesday, 9th of July, 2024.
Within 48 hours of the sanctions being announced, the Bank of Guyana revoked the Cambio License of the Mohameds stripping them of their ability to buy and sell foreign currencies in Guyana. The elder Mohamed also tendered his resignation as a local government councilor under the PPP/C administration.
On June 11th, 2024, the United States Office of Foreign Assets Control announced crippling sanctions on the Mohameds, freezing all their US assets and bank accounts, and prohibiting US persons from doing business with the family or any businesses connected to them. Less than 48 hours later, the Bank of Guyana revoked the Cambio License of Mohameds Enterprises. President Ali commented that the Bank of Guyana acted independently in accordance with their protocols and what was expected of them.
“The Bank of Guyana is the regulatory agency in relation to the granting of Cambio licence. They act based on their regulations and what is expected of them.”
President Irfaan Ali. June 2024.
The United States has accused the Mohameds of gold smuggling, money laundering, and other trans-national crimes. Speaking to the media, US Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole Theriot, said that the sanctions imposed on the Mohameds are “reserved for gross levels of corruption and human rights abuses.”
After the Mohameds invested in an EXXONMOBIL shore base venture in 2023, a Reuters article warned that the Mohameds were under US investigations and that sanctions were likely to follow, and said that the Texas Oil Giant was warned not to do business with the Mohameds. Despite denying the allegations, the Mohameds pulled out of the deal a few months after the Reuters article citing religious reasons.
US/Guyana relations are presently at an all time high with the United States and Guyana currently being close friends and strong allies. The United States is currently serving as a lifeline for struggling Guyana. Still recovering from decades of economic stagnation, gross corruption, crime, and several border controversies, Guyana speculatively needs the United States more than the United States needs Guyana at this point in time. Consequently, the Guyana Government treads carefully where US policies are concerned. Aside from being Guyana’s biggest trading partner, Guyana depends on the United States for military protection in the face of Venezuelan aggression and other potential destabilizing elements. The United States has also provided significant financial and material aid to Guyana over the last 5 years.
The Guyana Government has suggested that further actions against the Mohameds will only be taken after the United States provides evidence of the corruption of which it has accused the Mohameds.
“We reserve these types of sanctions for gross levels of corruption and human rights abuses…. It’s a very high bar. We do not do this lightly. This is something that we ensure that we have a preponderance of evidence before we’re ready to levy the sanctions and we had that in this case against the three individuals who were sanctioned.”
Nicole D. Theriot, US Ambassador to Guyana. June 13, 2024.
Meanwhile on the ground in Guyana, the general Guyanese population is disheartened by the sanctions. For the last 5 years or so, many in Guyana have been benefactors of the generosity of the Mohameds who were in the habit of building homes for the less fortunate, funding businesses, and making monetary and material donations to individuals and organizations in need. The Mohameds announced their last charitable deed via their Facebook Page around June 13, 2024, a few days after the sanctions. The family has not issued any press release or public statement concerning the sanctions.
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I was so engrossed in reading this, I lost track of time. Absolutely captivating.