US concerned over possible parliamentary role for Azruddin Mohamed

The United States Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole Theriot, has raised concerns over the possible election of Azruddin Mohamed, a prominent Guyanese gold dealer recently sanctioned by the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), to Guyana’s Parliament.

She warned that his inclusion in government could undermine investor confidence and strain economic relations with American companies.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Global Biodiversity Alliance Summit at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on Wednesday, Ambassador Theriot underscored the potential fallout if Mohamed were to secure a seat in the National Assembly or any official government post.

“When you see an OFAC-sanctioned individual become [an official] within a government, it sends concern through the private sector of the United States. So you see US companies often rethinking their relationships in the country,” Ambassador Theriot told reporters.

“All these US companies want to come to Guyana and Guyana is welcoming… and I don’t want, if he were to become a member of the government, that to change. So, that’s a real concern that I have,” she added, pointing to the risks of possible compliance complications if Mohamed were to wield political power.

The concern stems from sanctions announced on 11 June 2024 by the US Treasury’s OFAC, targeting Nazar Mohamed and his son Azruddin Mohamed—owners of Mohamed’s Enterprise, Hadi’s World, and Team Mohamed’s Racing.

The sanctions accuse the family and their businesses of involvement in gold smuggling, tax evasion, and corruption. The same sanctions also extended to Mae Thomas, the former Permanent Secretary of Guyana’s Ministry of Home Affairs.

Ambassador Theriot noted that the US government would have to navigate any engagement with extreme caution if an OFAC-listed individual held a parliamentary seat or participated in official committees.

“It’s problematic in multiple ways… We have to be very careful if that person is involved, let’s say he were on a certain committee, we would have to be very careful in working with that committee. We have to ensure that we didn’t work with him specifically,” she explained.

She stressed that even the perception of a sanctioned individual serving in Parliament could force US companies to reassess their operations in Guyana—a country that has positioned itself as one of the fastest-growing investment destinations in the hemisphere thanks to its booming oil economy, renewable energy push, and biodiversity initiatives.

US sanctions imposed by OFAC typically freeze any assets under American jurisdiction and prohibit US persons and companies from doing business with the listed individuals or entities. Violations can carry steep legal and financial penalties.

Azruddin Mohamed, known locally for his flamboyant car racing team and expansive gold business, is the presidential candidate for the WIN party.