With the APNU/AFC de facto regime digging its heels down a slippery slope of dictatorship, many government supporters and officials have gone as far as accusing international observers of siding with the opposition PPP/C – as ridiculous as this may seem.
The Observer Team to Guyana from the Organization of American States left Guyana around mid March 2020 frustrated with the electoral process, particularly the tabulation of Region 4 votes. When GECOM made a declaration on March 5 and then again on March 14, declaring the APNU/AFC the winner of the March 2 elections, the Organization of American States, European Union, United States Embassy and Canadian High Commissioner all said that the results lacked transparency and credibility and that any government sworn in based on these declarations would not be recognized by the international community.
This statement echoed the cries of the party agents and supporters of 10 political parties in Guyana. In fact, it echoed the voice of all Guyanese except the officials and supporters of the APNU/AFC.
Before hurling ridiculous and unfounded accusations against a conglomerate of international powers on whom we so heavily rely for financial assistance and security, let’s take a look at what the Organization of American States is, and what it spells for Guyana.
The Organization of American States is a military alliance whose member countries have signed the Rio Treaty of 1948 in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Rio Treaty is a treaty of military reciprocation which states that an attack on one member state is an attack on all, and demands military support from all members in the event that one of the member countries comes under attack.
The Organization of American States consists of 35 member countries including the United States, Canada and Brazil. Guyana is also a member. This means that if the OAS does not recognize the APNU/AFC government as legitimate, it will not lend assistance in the event of a military attack against Guyana. Further, if the OAS recognizes the opposition as the interim government due to rigged elections, and there is a military confrontation between government forces and opposition forces, the OAS will back the opposition.
All in all, the blatant attempt to hijack Guyana’s elections continues to undermine Guyana’s sovereignty, peace, prosperity, financial stability and international relations.
