No collusion between Mohameds and Venezuela, says Venezuelan Ambassador

Last Updated on Monday, 8 September 2025, 23:49 by Writer

Venezuela’s Ambassador to Guyana Carlos Amador Pérez Silva on Monday denied that there was collusion between two United States (US)-sanctioned city businessmen—Azruddin Mohamed and Nazar “Shell” Mohamed—and his country.

“No! Why you say that? No!” he said.

Mr Pérez Silva’s denial came after repeated claims by the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) on the just-concluded election campaign trail that leader of the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) political party, Azruddin Mohamed, would be putting Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity at risk because of his perceived ties with the Nicolás Maduro administration.

Though Mr Mohamed had dismissed such a claim, the PPPC persisted in a bid to sway voters away from WIN which turned out to be Guyana’s main opposition party.

United States (U.S.) Republican Congressman Carlos A. Gimenez had said in June on X, formerly Twitter, that “In the U.S. Congress we are alarmed by the regime in Venezuela’s attempt to undermine #Guyana through its pro-Maduro puppet candidate Azruddin Mohamed, who is sanctioned by OFAC! The Western Hemisphere must remain a stronghold of freedom — not a breeding ground for communist dictatorships.”

Mr Gimenez’s tweet was similar to one of several drafted by the U.S.-based lobbying firm, Continental Strategy LLC, which has been hired by the Guyana government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Those tweets were contained in a June 23, 2025 email titled “Info on sanctioned individual” that was sent to the Congressman’s Director of Communications Roberto Lugones, Vice President of Continental Strategy Anthony Sola and other staff members of that firm.

The Venezuelan envoy refused to comment on whether Azruddin and his father, Nazar “Shell” Mohamed had sought Venezuelan visas. At the same time, he said the embassy is open to all Guyanese residing here. “If the person is coming to do any transaction, that’s internal…I can’t tell you because I have to respect the privacy of the people that are going to the embassy,” he told reporters.

Then Foreign Affairs Minister of Guyana, Hugh Todd had summoned the Venezuelan envoy concerning the elder Mohamed’s visit to the embassy. At that time, the government had quoted Mr Todd as saying that the Venezuelan Ambassador had told him it was for a visa application.

The PPPC had raised concerns about whether the Mohamed were planning to flee to Caracas because there is no extradition treaty between the two countries.

The Mohameds were sanctioned in June 2024 for allegedly evading more than US$50 million in taxes payable to the Guyana government on the export of more than 10,000 kilogrammes of gold.