A Guyanese businessman facing US extradition on charges of gold smuggling and money laundering has been elected as the country's opposition leader in a surprise move that has raised eyebrows among lawmakers and critics alike. Azruddin Mohamed, 38, was confirmed as the opposition leader after a narrow margin of votes from his own party, We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), and another lawmaker who defected to WIN.
Mohamed is currently facing extradition to the United States, where he and his father Nazar are accused of gold smuggling and money laundering. The indictment came just over a year after the US Treasury Department sanctioned the duo for allegedly smuggling more than 10,000 kilograms of gold into the country, evading over $50 million in taxes.
Despite the ongoing extradition proceedings, Mohamed's election has highlighted concerns about corruption within the government. His family, which was among Guyana's largest gold buyers and exporters, had their businesses shuttered and commercial bank accounts frozen following the sanctions announcement.
The opposition leader-elect claimed that he is innocent until proven guilty and attributed his rise to power to the fact that WIN is opposing the ruling People's Progressive Party (PPP) with success. "That's why they are fighting me down," he said.
The house speaker, Manzoor Nadir, expressed unease over Mohamed's election, citing the challenges of overseeing a fugitive as opposition leader. However, he ultimately congratulated Mohamed on his victory and chaired Monday's brief proceedings.
Mohamed, who announced his candidacy six months ago, has vowed to serve the people of Guyana despite the court issues surrounding him. His election marks a significant shift in the country's politics, with WIN emerging as the second-largest party in parliament.
Mohamed is currently facing extradition to the United States, where he and his father Nazar are accused of gold smuggling and money laundering. The indictment came just over a year after the US Treasury Department sanctioned the duo for allegedly smuggling more than 10,000 kilograms of gold into the country, evading over $50 million in taxes.
Despite the ongoing extradition proceedings, Mohamed's election has highlighted concerns about corruption within the government. His family, which was among Guyana's largest gold buyers and exporters, had their businesses shuttered and commercial bank accounts frozen following the sanctions announcement.
The opposition leader-elect claimed that he is innocent until proven guilty and attributed his rise to power to the fact that WIN is opposing the ruling People's Progressive Party (PPP) with success. "That's why they are fighting me down," he said.
The house speaker, Manzoor Nadir, expressed unease over Mohamed's election, citing the challenges of overseeing a fugitive as opposition leader. However, he ultimately congratulated Mohamed on his victory and chaired Monday's brief proceedings.
Mohamed, who announced his candidacy six months ago, has vowed to serve the people of Guyana despite the court issues surrounding him. His election marks a significant shift in the country's politics, with WIN emerging as the second-largest party in parliament.
I'm still trying to wrap my head around this one... Azruddin Mohamed being elected as opposition leader while facing US extradition on some pretty serious charges? It's like, what's going on here? 
On one hand, you gotta respect the guy's charisma and ability to connect with people, because that's how he won those votes. But at the same time, I'm all about transparency and accountability, especially when it comes to corruption and money laundering. 
It feels like a bit of a slippery slope, where is the line between being a successful politician and being a fugitive? 
And what does this say about the Guyanese people that they're willing to look past his personal issues and put their faith in him as leader? 
Azruddin Mohamed, the gold smuggling and money laundering fugitive, is now leading the opposition in Guyana... talk about a bold move! 
like how does that work? didn't they think his court issues would be a bigger deal than just ignoring them? i mean i'm not saying he did anything wrong or should get away with it, but can't the US just extradite him already so this guy isn't leading a government and has some responsibilities? anyway, i guess this is an interesting development for politics in Guyana 
this is so weird... i dont think its cool that mohamed is facing extradition charges and then goes on to become opposition leader 
Azruddin Mohamed going from accused to opposition leader is like a crazy plot twist in a movie! 
I get that he claims innocence and all, but still... it's kinda weird how this happened. Did you see the looks on the lawmakers' faces when they heard the news? 
. His party WIN winning second place in parliament is definitely gonna make some waves in the country's politics 
. Can't wait to see what happens next! 
. I mean, how can he effectively lead the opposition when he's basically on the run from the law? And what's to stop his party, WIN, from being influenced by him or getting caught up in the drama of it all?
! I'm low-key surprised he didn't get caught before that. Anyway, it's got everyone talking about corruption within the government 
. It's definitely a shake-up in Guyana's politics, and now this new opposition leader WIN has some serious clout 
?
. Like, I get it, corruption is a thing in Guyana politics but still... It's like, shouldn't there be some kind of cooling-off period before someone can run for office? 
. It's gonna be a tough spot for him and the country as a whole. The fact that WIN is doing so well shows there's definitely some discontent with the current gov't but we'll have to wait and see if Mohamed can actually make a difference without his family's empire being a hindrance 
. Only time will tell how this all plays out 
It's like he's using his "innocent until proven guilty" card to his advantage. I mean, I get it, his party, WIN, is doing well and the PPP is in trouble... but still, this is a big deal. The US is gunning for him and now he's leading the opposition? 
But here's the thing, if he can actually deliver on his promises to the people of Guyana, it could shift the balance of power in parliament. And let's be real, the PPP is used to being in power, so they might get a little uncomfortable with this new dynamic. 
It'll be interesting to see how this plays out, especially with the US extradition proceedings hanging over his head. Will he be able to put politics aside and focus on serving the people? Only time will tell... 
WIN seems like they're on the right track with their anti-corruption message, fingers crossed that Mohamed can prove himself in office 
#NotMyOppoLeader #CorruptionIsKey #WinningWithHonor