Fmr US Secretary of State Pompeo in Guyana

Last Updated on Monday, 8 January 2024, 11:10 by Denis Chabrol

President Irfaan Ali and US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo in discussions at the Baridi Benab, State House, Georgetown, Guyana.

Former United States (US) Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in Guyana on a private visit and is due to meet with President Irfaan Ali later Monday, the Guyanese leader confirmed.

“We have a courtesy discussion,” Dr Ali said.

He used the opportunity to credit the then Republican administration’s Secretary of State for his work in insisting that the outcome of the 2020 general and regional elections reflected the votes cast.

“Secretary Pompeo played a very important role in ensuring that Guyana stayed the course of democracy which was very, very key when the last government tried to steal an election and steal democracy,” said the Guyanese leader.

Mr Pompeo, as Secretary of State, had visited Guyana in September, 2020, about one month after the Ali-led People’s Progressive Party Civic administration took office following a national vote recount. Prior to that recount, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) had sought to declare several results in favour of the then incumbent A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) a majority.

The President also noted Mr Pompeo had also recently spoken out against Venezuela’s recent territorial aggression against Guyana. “His interest in Guyana and the development of Guyana has always been very, very strong,” he said.

Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro-led administration has toned down its saber-rattling and other aggressive intentions since the Ali-Maduro talks at Argyle, St Vincent on December 14. Those discussions, which were brokered by the Community of Latin American and Caribbean countries (CELAC) and Caribbean Community (CARICOM), ended with a declaration that committed both countries to peace.