Azruddin Mohamed’s political fantasy is now fully on display—complete with a flashy party name, “We Invest in Nationhood” (WIN), as if all it takes to lead a country is a slogan, a sports car, and a gold chain. But what Azruddin is investing in isn’t nationhood; it’s national chaos. And while his entourage and social media cheerleaders may be celebrating his presidential bid like a Team Mohamed race day, the rest of Guyana, and indeed the international community, is bracing for impact.
Let’s be clear: this isn’t just a joke anymore; it’s a crisis in progress. The United States government has officially sanctioned Azruddin Mohamed and his father, Nazar, for extensive corruption, tax evasion, drug dealing for Colombian cartels, bribery of government officials, and fraud in the gold trade. We’re not talking about a parking ticket here. The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) accused the Mohameds of omitting over 10,000 kilograms of gold from declarations, cheating Guyana out of more than US$50 million. That’s not “investing in nationhood”—that’s looting it.
And now, after being hit with global sanctions, Azruddin wants to be President? That’s like setting your house on fire and then running for fire chief.
“Bright guy,” his paid mob says. What a joke! Well, maybe he’s clever enough to impress a few naive and illiterate followers like him with freebies and fuel subsidies, but not smart enough to understand global financial systems, geopolitical consequences, or what happens when the U.S. cuts you off completely.
His paid supporters are politically uninformed and uneducated, like Azruddin Mohamed. Azruddin lacks formal schooling, as confirmed by his blood relatives. He is using his father’s charitable fund to pay his supporters. The paid supporters are happy to accept his money and will likely switch back to their original parties on election day. Only someone as foolish as Azruddin thinks that paid voters will vote for him.
The U.S. Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole Theriot, was polite but straightforward: If Mohamed enters Parliament, it triggers serious “jitters” in the U.S. private sector. “Problematic in multiple ways,” she said—meaning: “This guy is radioactive.” U.S. Congressman Carlos Gimenez went even further, calling him a “pro-Maduro puppet candidate”—a direct insult in diplomatic circles. And Congresswoman María Salazar clearly stated: “Individuals sanctioned for illicit activities must not be allowed to jeopardize this vital relationship.”
And yet, Azruddin remains in fantasy land, believing he can wave a manifesto, hold a press conference, and magically have the sanctions lifted. He might as well be selling snake oil at Stabroek Market. Let’s be honest—no number of gold-plated manifestos or Instagram-ready charity events will erase the international charges stacked against him.
Now, the fallout is starting to show. Demerara Bank has already closed accounts linked to WIN candidates. That’s not politics; it’s about survival. Banks operate within a global system. One mistake, one transaction with a sanctioned individual, and that bank risks losing access to its U.S. correspondent accounts. No bank is willing to take that chance. Other banks are watching and will likely follow suit. Employers will also begin to reconsider anyone connected to Azruddin’s campaign. Soon, just being “affiliated” with WIN might result in you being blacklisted.
Let’s take this madness a step further. Imagine, through some miracle of luck or trickery, Azruddin Mohamed becomes President of Guyana. Do his supporters believe the United States will simply shrug and say, “Oh, he’s president now, never mind the sanctions”? That’s not how sanctions operate. If he’s elected, Guyana won’t receive a red carpet in Washington—it’ll face a red alert.
Here’s what a Mohamed presidency would look like:
- International Isolation: Guyana might be disconnected from the global banking network. SWIFT bans, blocked wire transfers, and frozen assets, among others.
- Oil Crisis: ExxonMobil, the main driver of Guyana’s economic growth, might be forced to halt operations. No American company will risk violating U.S. sanctions to do business with a Mohamed-led government.
- Investment Drought: U.S. investors will pull back, and other global investors will follow. FDI will vanish faster than a puddle in Berbice.
- Financial Freefall: Without access to U.S. banks, basic transactions—like international loans, remittances, or foreign trade—would turn into nightmares.
- Maduro’s Daydream Becomes Reality: With Guyana weakened diplomatically and economically, guess who steps in? Nicolás Maduro, the same man whose puppet strings supposedly influence Azruddin’s campaign.
And yet, Azruddin acts like he’s auditioning for a Netflix series—‘Narcotic President: Guyana Edition’.
People like GHK Lall and Lancelot Hyman may write letters criticizing the U.S. Ambassador for “interfering,” but they overlook decades of history. Without U.S. pressure, Guyana’s democratic reforms might never have taken place. Without U.S. oil companies, Essequibo could already be flying a Venezuelan flag. And without U.S. banking ties, we might still be relying on barter trade and flour lines. Both individuals should familiarize themselves with the Monroe Doctrine and stop pontificating as experts in geopolitics. These two are simply seeking 15 minutes of fame to stay relevant in Guyana’s history. No one takes these two exhibitionists seriously. They are just two voters among 718,715, and they won’t even elect a fly in Guyana. Why should we care about people like that in Guyana?
What Azruddin’s backers are doing isn’t just reckless; it’s dangerous. They think he’s giving them a great opportunity, but he’s providing them with a ticking economic time bomb. Check for yourself: U.S. sanctions impose criminal penalties on anyone who engages in transactions with sanctioned individuals. You don’t need to be running for president to be impacted — just open a bank account, apply for a loan, or send your kid to study in America. It’s that straightforward.
And no, there is no “bright guy” or “illiterate guy” exception to the OFAC list. You can’t bribe your way out of global finance blacklists with jet skis and luxury cars. The USA is not in the business of bribery. Instead, they will send Nazar and Azruddin Mohamed to experience prison life in the USA.
Let’s stop pretending Azruddin Mohamed is some misunderstood person. He’s not targeted because he’s powerful; he’s avoided because he’s toxic. His campaign is a big red flag, and anyone who gets too close will find themselves with W.I.N.E — We’re in a National Emergency.
In conclusion, a Mohamed presidency wouldn’t bring victory to Guyana. It would lead to a nationwide shutdown. So, if you care about your job, your bank account, your country’s stability, and your Essequibo, do the smart thing—reject Azruddin Mohamed, reject his poor understanding of politics, ignore his paid mob, and keep Guyana out of international quarantine.
By doing so, voters are telling the politically uninformed Azruddin Mohamed to go to hell and leave us and our Guyana alone. Do not mess with Guyana’s future. The people of Guyana will not accept your plagiarism of other parties’ manifestos or ideas.
We know Azruddin Mohamed is a fool, and the rest of the population sees it too. The only reason for starting a nonsense party, WIN, is to distract from his criminal activities — guess what, no one is falling for his lies anymore. The public in Guyana is educated and will expose all of Azruddin’s illegal and criminal activities, along with the US sanctions against him, the warning from the US ambassador in Guyana, and his lack of transparency to the voters and the world.