U.S. announces more visa sanctions, cites Granger for refusing to accept recount

The United States Government Thursday imposed more visa sanctions, saying the Government of President David Granger continues to defy the will of the people by not accepting the results of the national vote recount.

Below is a statement issued by Michael Kozak, acting Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Western Affairs of the U.S. State Department during a teleconference:

“On July 15, the Secretary announced the imposition of visa restrictions on individuals responsible for or complicit in undermining democracy in Guyana.

“Today, we are acting to prevent additional senior individuals from that country from entering the United States.

“The Secretary’s been clear: The Granger administration and its allies continue to defy the will of the Guyanese people by refusing to accept the vote count. The count has been certified as valid by international observers OAS and CARICOM, Guyana’s and the Caribbean’s highest courts.

“The United States joins the rest of the region refusing to go along with this farce. We will continue to act until the Granger administration accepts the will of Guyanese voters.”