Azruddin Mohamed. Photo by European Union.
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Guyana has fallen into political crisis after the arrest and possible U.S. extradition of opposition leader Azruddin Mohamed, who only recently became a surprise rival to President Irfaan Ali in the recent election that kept Ali in power.
Mohamed, 38, and his father Nazar, 73, among Guyana’s richest businessmen through their gold-mining empire, were arrested in Georgetown on 31 October following a U.S. extradition request.
They face 11 charges in Florida, including money laundering, bribery, and tax evasion. Both were released the same day on bail of 150,000 Guyanese dollars (about $720) but must report to court weekly ahead of a new hearing on Monday.
Mohamed says the charges are political persecution led by Ali’s government: “The government is fully behind the sanctions,” he told local media. But Attorney General Mohabir Anil Nandlall said Guyana is simply meeting its legal duty under a 1931 UK–U.S. extradition treaty still valid since independence in 1966.
The case comes as Guyana’s growing oil sector has drawn close U.S. involvement. American companies are leading offshore exploration that could soon make Guyana the world’s top oil producer per person.
Political analyst Peter Wickham said the arrest challenges Guyana’s political order. Mohamed had founded a new party just months before the election, trying to end decades of ethnic-based voting between the Indo-Guyanese-backed PPP/C and the Afro-Guyanese-supported APNU.
He campaigned against “tribal voting” and promised to renegotiate the oil deal, saying that despite new oil wealth, more than half of Guyanese still live in poverty. His movement won 16 out of 65 seats in Congress, overtaking APNU as the main opposition.
Among his campaign promises was a pledge to donate his presidential salary to charity.
Days after his arrest, Mohamed arrived at Parliament in a Lamborghini linked to another case accusing him of submitting a fake $75,300 invoice for a car that allegedly cost $680,000.
The U.S. charges cover 2017–2024. In June 2024, $5.3 million in gold from Mohamed’s company was seized in Miami, and the U.S. Treasury sanctioned the Mohameds for smuggling gold, evading $50 million in taxes, and bribing officials.
Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo said the extradition request was signed personally by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio: “We are part of an international community that believes people must pay for their crimes.”
Mohamed’s lawyers deny all wrongdoing and argue that some alleged offenses are not even crimes under Guyanese law. They plan to challenge extradition up to the Caribbean Court of Justice.
Wickham believes the legal fight could last for years, saying Mohamed will likely keep using his seat in parliament to trouble the government.
Source: The Guardian (UK).
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