Venezuela’s Vice President peddled cheap, fake info about Guyanese voting in elections

Last Updated on Monday, 26 May 2025, 0:39 by Writer

Venezuela’s Vice President Delcy Rodriguez was among her country folk who spread a fake video about people crossing the Essequibo River to vote in Sunday’s elections to elect a governor and legislative council for Guyana’s Essequibo Region.

However, the video was taken of passengers boarding a boat to travel from Georgetown to Vreed-en-Hoop.

The video clearly shows Stabroek Market in the background.

When contacted, the owner of the speedboat, Brotherhood, Michael Barnwell said “That is totally false and mischievous. My boat worked at Vreed-en-Hoop today,” he told Demerara Waves Online News. He said the Maritime Administration (MARAD) contacted him as part of their investigations.

Mr Barnwell said the person who did that “eye pass my boat” and “who ever did it should be locked up”.

During a government-organised trip to a number of interior locations near the Guyana-Venezuela border, several State, private and independent media houses were told by residents that no Venezuelan campaigning or voting was held there.

Those areas included Baramita, Mabaruma and Arakaka.

A resident of Baramita, conceded that “I’m scared a little” because she lives about two hours’ walking distance from the border with Venezuela.

She, however, said there “nothing so far” as far as electioneering was concerned.

An elder of Baramita village, Jocelyn Henry told reporters that “I love my country. I love Guyana”.

She said she was unaware of Venezuela’s elections.

“I feeling bad because I won’t like for them to take over the country,” she said.

Media personnel did not see any polling stations, campaign posters or anyone wearing campaign jerseys, caps or other electioneering paraphernalia.

Instead, vehicles, houses and businesses were decorated with Guyana’s national flag, the Golden Arrowhead.

Chief-of-Defence Staff, Brigadier Omar Khan told Demerara Waves Online News that no electioneering or voting was seen in Guyana’s sovereignty territory by Venezuelans.

“We have no evidence that any election was conducted in Guyana. All our villages and forces on the border are alert and there was no detection of any such activity in Guyana,” he said.

Demerara Waves Online News was told that less than 10 percent of Venezuelans voted in San Martin, Venezuela.