The opposition parties, including the PNC, AFC, and Forward Guyana, have quietly accepted that they are unlikely to win the next general elections. Lacking a clear development plan and message of hope, their only political tactic has become dividing the electorate by targeting Indo-Guyanese voters and leaders with unfounded accusations of racism.
Now, in a desperate attempt to stop Guyana’s progress, they plan to undermine Parliament in 2025 by promoting a “Hung Parliament.” They aim to disrupt governance and prevent the economic progress that is improving the lives of all Guyanese. This isn’t strategy—it’s sabotage.
At its core, their approach is rooted in ignorance. They fail to recognize how national progress relies on stability, investment, and unity. Since they have nothing else to contribute, all they can do is try to weaken what others are working so hard to build.
Opposition Parties in Guyana: A New Chess Move—Relying on a “Hung Parliament”
Behind closed doors, the opposition alliance—led by the PNC/R, AFC, and their partners—has begun to concede that an outright victory in the 2025 elections is increasingly out of reach. Instead, their new goal is to create a hung Parliament to delay the PPP government, similar to how the Ramotar administration faced gridlock ten years ago. Without a credible economic plan, they have reverted to an old tactic of racial division, attempting to convince the 29.1 percent Afro-Guyanese community that the much larger Guyanese majority—including 39.8 percent Indo-Guyanese and other groups—is somehow their enemy. By doing so, these parties demonstrate their willingness to sacrifice national progress and the improving standard of living in Guyana, not for the public good, but for a narrow vendetta against the PPP. This amounts to disruption disguised as opposition, and every voter can see through it.
Azruddin Mohamed, also known as the “Maduro Puppet,” is allegedly being drafted by opposition parties for the campaign among the 39.8% Indo-Guyanese population.
Frustration has driven the opposition to what many see as a new low: using businessman Azruddin Mohamed, described by critics as a “Maduro puppet” with no formal policy credentials, to canvass sugar estate and rice farming regions, urging workers to abandon the PPP/C. The strategy is straightforward: decreasing rural Indo-Guyanese votes boosts their chances of achieving that coveted hung Parliament.
Opponents see this tactic as cynical in two ways. First, it uses Mr. Mohamed’s notoriety—accusations of gold smuggling and Colombian drug ties (which he denies, with no court rulings yet)—to create distrust among Indo-Guyanese voters. Second, it ignores demographic facts: Afro-Guyanese voters make up just under a third of the population. Any party that only appeals to that group and alienates the 39.8 percent Indo-Guyanese (including about 6.3 percent Muslim), along with those of mixed heritage, Indigenous, and other communities, cannot expect to form a stable government.
The episode evokes uncomfortable memories of the PNC’s Burnham period, when electoral manipulation was the primary means of gaining power. By teaming up with figures seen abroad as stand-ins for Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro, today’s opposition risks confirming a picture of desperation: willing to sacrifice Guyana’s hard-won international reputation and social cohesion for a spoiler role in Parliament.
Bottom line: Democratic opposition is essential, but it must suggest policies, not just play a puppet-like role. Guyanese voters now face a choice between an administration that provides real growth and an opposition whose current plan relies on imported intrigue and parliamentary deadlock.
At the center of the chaos is Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton, who has decided to dismiss every high-profile resignation—yet the party’s records show the significance those defectors once had.
Only days ago, Norton dismissed the departure of Linden stalwart Jermaine Figueira, calling him “no heavyweight” and blaming “lack of competence.” But Figueira was the face of Region 10, the PNC/R’s traditional stronghold; branding him irrelevant convinces no one.
Even more difficult to explain are the resignations of former General Secretary Geeta Chandan Edmond—elected by Congress delegates and trusted enough to sit in Parliament—and Region Four Chair Daniel Seeram, along with Vice Chair Samuel Sandy. Their collective resignation serves as a vote of no confidence in Norton’s leadership.
The exodus also exposes another uncomfortable truth: Norton has never demonstrated the inclusive leadership that Guyana expects. He has never been photographed with the Indian Guyanese members of his PNC party. This omission feeds a perception—both inside and outside PNC/R—that the leader does not value his Indo-Guyanese members, instead relying solely on his 29.1% Afro-Guyanese support base to win elections, neglecting the 71% of the other population, including 39.8% of the Indo-Guyanese. Someone might need to teach Aubrey Norton basic math. Unfortunately, Norton seems to believe Guyana is 100% African like him. Many senior figures, recognizing the risks, have quietly stepped back; others have left outright.
Amanza Walton-Desir, a former PNC member and now founder of “Forward Guyana,” also shows a lack of vision. The movement surfaced from Norton’s camp once it was clear he couldn’t build a consensus. Unable to grow beyond a few discontented members, Forward Guyana depends on press conferences filled with outrage but lacking solid policy ideas.
The presence of Ronald Bulkan and Mark Archer at Amanza Walton-Desir’s press conference exposes the truth behind her so-called “new” party, Forward Guyana — it’s just the same discredited coalition politics that the people of Guyana rejected in 2020. It’s not a fresh start; it’s a recycled failure in a new package. The only thing “Forward” about it is the name.
Perhaps the most unusual figure in the group is Azruddin Mohamed, who claims to support rice farmers and sugarcane estate workers. Family members (his blood uncles) living abroad have openly said he has no formal education. He is under U.S. sanctions, yet opposition parties refer to him as a “gamechanger,” sending him to rural communities to weaken the PPP/C’s support. Both Hindu and Muslim community leaders have told him—bluntly—that neither faith group will follow a money launderer, gold smuggler, cocaine dealer for Colombians, or a Maduro stooge in Guyana, a puppet used only to cause division.
As Guyana secures its rightful place on the global stage, becoming a symbol of modern progress and economic potential, the forces of corruption and greed begin to surface. While the PPP/C government—led by President Dr. Irfaan Ali and General Secretary Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo—focuses on building a future rooted in development, some individuals are only scheming for personal gain.
Azruddin Mohamed is a criminal with no formal education; U.S. law enforcement authorities consider him a criminal. They view Guyana’s success not as a chance to strengthen the country, but as an opportunity for their gain through illicit means. He offers no vision or plan—only self-serving ambition. In this era of national pride, Guyana must remain vigilant to those who claim to care but secretly collaborate with foreign enemies behind closed doors.
Norton’s decision to disparage long-serving colleagues has spectacularly backfired. Their resignations highlight what the rank and file already suspect: under his leadership, the PNC/R has no plan beyond racial dog whistles and institutional deadlock. Nigel Hughes has no grassroots support. Amanza Walton-Desir’s offers only frustration disguised as “third way” politics. Azruddin Mohamed is a cautionary tale of opportunism over substance. Together, they form a gallery of parties that serve themselves, not the Guyanese people.
On September 1, voters will decide whether to reward those who promote racial division and hinder economic progress by supporting a hung parliament or to continue the momentum built over the past five years by the PPP government. Early signs in villages, towns, and city areas show widespread support for the progress made by the PPP government, which will further boost Guyana’s economic growth and ensure that all Guyanese, regardless of race, benefit from the country’s economic miracle.