OTTAWA, Canada (CMC) — Canada today said it would join its partners in the international community in calling on Guyana to ensure the results of the disputed March 2 regional and general elections are released immediately.
“Canada strongly regrets the extended delay in declaring election results in Guyana, a delay that has now lasted more than four months,” the Justin Trudeau government said in a statement.
It follows an announcement by the United States that it would impose “visa restrictions on persons undermining democracy” in the Caribbean Community (Caricom) country and growing speculation that the United Kingdom may soon announce measures of its own.
US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo said the David Granger government “must respect the result of democratic elections and step aside” and warned that the visa restrictions could also be extended to “immediate family members of such persons”, delaying the release of the results.
In its statement, Canada said that it supports the calls made by the Organization of American States, Caricom, the Commonwealth, the Caribbean Court of Justice and civil society organisations “to announce the results based on the national recount, as validated by the CARICOM observer mission”.
“In the interest of the democratic rights of the people of Guyana, Canada firmly maintains that the rule of law and democratic processes must be respected and a declaration be announced without further delay.
“Canada will continue to work with its partners in the international community, using all tools at our disposal, to demand a swift and transparent conclusion to the election process and hold accountable those who prevent it,” the statement added.
