US State Dept. says De facto regimes do not receive same treatment as democratically elected Govts

The U.S State Department is again urging for a credible vote count in Region Four and indicated that an undemocratic Government will not receive support from the United States Government.

In his third public statement following Guyana’s disputed March 2 general and regional elections, Acting Assistant Secretary for U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, Michael G. Kozak took to Twitter on Thursday.

He tweeted, “Under U.S. law and practice those who participate and benefit from electoral fraud, undermine democratic institutions and impede a peaceful transition of power can be subject to a variety of consequences. #Guyana

“De facto regimes do not receive the same treatment from us as democratically elected governments. #Guyana.”

In reference to the High Court ruling on Wednesday which ordered that the Returning Officer of Region Four return to the tabulation process, Ambassador Kozak noted, “It is essential that the High Court-mandated elections tabulation in #Guyana be concluded in a free, fair, and transparent manner.”

“We join the Guyanese people and the international community in calling for Guyanese election authorities to follow accepted procedures and allow international election observers to verify the results. #Guyana.”

The US Government continues to maintain that vote tabulation marred Guyana’s elections.

On March 6, the Ambassador urged that no candidate is sworn in until issues are resolved surrounding the declaration of unverified results for the country’s largest voting district.

International governments, including the U.S., UK, Canada, and the EU, along with observers from the Commonwealth, the OAS, the EU, the Carter Center and CARICOM, have all said that if the verification of the Region Four Statements of Poll are not completed, the elections results would not be credible.

Mr Clairmont Mingo, the Returning Officer on March 5 signed off on a declaration that put the APNU+AFC in the lead to take the seat of government, but the opposition says if verification of the statements of poll are verified, it would show the PPP winning.

The opposition PPP and international and local observers want to see the verification process completed before any declaration of the overall results of the elections are made.