By Caribbean News Global contributor
BRAZIL, Brasília – Four months after the general and regional elections held in the Cooperative Republic of Guyana on March 2, the Brazilian government considers that delaying the conclusion of the electoral process poses a serious threat to stability in Guyana and a departure from the democratic commitments that the country must observe in the regional and hemispheric context.
Brazil president Jair Bolsonaro has joined regional and extra-regional calls on Guyanese political forces to respect the popular will emanating from the elections, in line with the recent sentence of the Caribbean Court of Justice, in order to guarantee the prompt official announcement of the country’s new representatives.
The Brazilian government said: “It endorses the conclusions of the CARICOM electoral observation mission regarding the smoothness of the recount procedure and endorses the calls made by the Community and the Organization of American States for the conclusion of the electoral process. Likewise, Brazil adds to the statements of CARICOM, the Organisation of American States (OAS) the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada, pointing out the absence of impediments to the declaration of final results based on the votes cast in the recount process.
“The Brazilian government calls on Guyana, an Associated State of MERCOSUR, to remain among the South American nations committed to the highest democratic principles.”
Chair of CARICOM: A personal analyses of the situation in Guyana
Chair of CARICOM Dr Ralph Gonsalves, prime minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines in his personal analyses of the situation in Guyana said:
“The leaders of CARICOM, including St Vincent and the Grenadines, cannot and must not appear to be indifferent to, and detached from, what is happening in Guyana. That magnificent country, Guyana, and its industrious people of the highest quality are dear to us in CARICOM. We are in solidarity with the people of Guyana; we defend on an ongoing basis the territorial integrity of Guyana. Today, CARICOM defends democracy in Guyana; we defend the voters of Guyana; we are on the side of the angels in the stand-off between those who reject the people’s verdict and those who insist, properly, on its observance, recognition, formal declaration, and implementation.
“We must continue, fearlessly, to do the right thing. The evil of the anti-democratic brigands must not be allowed any space to triumph. I await, soonest, the declaration by the chair of GECOM of the results of the elections. It is long overdue,” said chair of CARICOM, Dr Gonsalves.