APNU+AFC warns of US’ ‘unhelpful and unholy agenda’ ahead of Pompeo’s visit

The APNU+AFC on Monday warned the Government against agreeing to anything which will lead to the interference in the affairs of other states when United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visits later this week.

Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC) and Opposition Member of Parliament Raphael Trotman during his opening speech for the 2020 budget debates in the National Assembly said the Government must not agree to “unhelpful and unholy agenda that is meant to boost electoral prospects elsewhere later in the year.”

“We must be careful that in the height of the pomp, no pun intended, and ceremony, we do not lose our dignity and self-respect and trade our sovereignty, statehood and hallowed stance of the right to self-determination and non-interference, in the affairs of other states,” Trotman said.

Pompeo is set to visit Guyana on September 17-18. The details of his agenda has not yet been released but the News Room learnt that he is expected to sign several agreements with President Irfaan Ali.

The United States Presidential elections is set for November 3, 2020.

Trotman referred to the ongoing case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to address the border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela noting that if such strides are reversed, the implications will not be positive.

“There have been too much progress made in the last five years as we took our case to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) seeking a peaceful solution and it will be a travesty of monumental and epic proportions if Mr. Speaker, we found ourselves in a hot mess and threatened,” Trotman said.

The United States has enforced several sanctions against Venezuela in the past years against its President Nicholas Maduro.

The US also recognises interim President Juan Guaido and considers the Venezuelan National Assembly, which he currently leads, to be the only legitimate federal institution, according to the Venezuelan Constitution.

In April, the former APNU+AFC Government turned down a request from the US Government to relay the Voice of America (VOA) radio broadcasts to Venezuela.

Former President David Granger in a comment to the media through his press unit said the request was refused so as not to further destabilise relations between the two neighbours.

AT&T -the largest player in Venezuela’s pay TV market which was one of the last major American companies still operating in the crisis-wracked country, closed its operations there in May 2020.

The company said U.S. sanctions prohibit its DIRECTV platform from broadcasting channels that it is required to carry by the Maduro administration.