PNCR Leader says Azruddin Mohamed in politics to avoid extradition

Last Updated on Wednesday, 3 June 2026, 8:20 by Denis Chabrol

People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Leader, Aubrey Norton on Tuesday attacked Leader of the main opposition We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), Azruddin Mohamed, saying he joined politics in an effort to stave off an extradition to the United States (US) to face trial for alleged financial crimes.

“Mohammed’s interest here is to ensure that he isn’t extradited. We don’t have an interest in that. We have an interest in promoting  the development of the people of Guyana,” he said on the pro-opposition KAMSTV, a social media platform. 

The ruling People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) has made similar claims about Mr Mohamed’s decision to get into elected politics.

Mr Mohamed and his father, Nazar “Shell” Mohamed–who have repeatedly admitted in the public, that they had very close ties with the PPPC and Dr Irfaan Ali before and after he was elected President of Guyana- have been sanctioned by the US Treasury Department for allegedly smuggling more than 10,000 kilogrammes of gold and cheating the Guyana government of more than US$50 million in taxes. A Grand Jury subsequently indicted them for alleged wire fraud, mail fraud and money laundering linked to their gold trading business. The extradition proceedings in the magistrates court has been stuck for several weeks pending a decision by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on the legitimacy of the issuance of the Authority To Proceed on grounds of political motivation based on public statements by the President, Vice President and Attorney General.

The PNCR Leader said he regarded Mr Mohamed and the government as “the same” but the ultimate objective by the Opposition Leader was securing himself. “They give a pittance to the people and keep the hog for themselves and so, while I appreciate some people getting help, I am very clear in my mind that the focus here is not on making the Guyanese society get a better life. It is doing the things that will allow you to protect your interests and, therefore, in many regards, the approach of… the Mohammed’s more than WIN is one in which there is self-protection and the people happen to get some crumbs in the process of self-protection,” said Mr Norton, a Political Scientist.

Questioning the source of Mr Mohamed’s wealth, Mr Norton also poured cold water on Mr Mohamed’s donation of houses, vehicles and other items to ordinary Guyanese, alleging that there were huge question marks about the source of his wealth. “I now come to do a little bit here and there. I mean, it is one of the most flawed argument. You are accused of depriving this country of billions of dollars that can impact the lives of the people of this country,” he said.

About three months after its formal establishment, attracted several PNCR members, who were politicians on the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) ticket between 2020 and 2025, and won 16 of the 65 parliamentary seats to become Guyana’s main opposition party. As a result, Mr Mohamed became Guyana’s Opposition Leader. The PNCR-led APNU won 12 seats. The Forward Guyana Movement (FGM), led by breakaway PNCR member, Amanza Walton-Desir, has one seat.

Reacting to a comment by a Facebook listener, Mr Norton acknowledged that the PNCR needed money to push back against the 36-seat ruling People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) including by staging street protests.

The PNCR Leader said his party was interested in promoting Guyana’s development but would not be part of a personal fight to “protect somebody who allegedly robbed this country of resources.”

While WIN’s  election campaign was evidently better financed and seemed a close second to the incumbent PPPC, APNU’s was rather pale. Mr Norton did not also sharply criticise WIN and Mr Mohamed during the electioneering.