GUYANA | United States Sanctioned Tycoon Claims Political Witch Hunt In Guyana's Corridor of Power

GEORGETOWN, Guyana — "The Constitution protects me. No one can stop me from doing business in my country." These defiant words from Shell Mohamed, a businessman under U.S. sanctions, have ignited a firestorm in Guyana's political landscape as he accuses government officials of orchestrating a campaign of systematic harassment that goes far beyond American restrictions.

Nine months after being sanctioned by the U.S. Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), Nazar "Shell" Mohamed broke his silence Tuesday with explosive allegations that threaten to expose what he describes as a web of political reprisals, economic sabotage, and potentially even assassination plots.

Mohamed's public statement, delivered via his company's Facebook page "Team Mohamed's," came just hours after Guyana's Maritime Administration (MARAD) denied permission for several foreign-flagged vessels his business was acquiring.

The timing suggests a coordinated squeeze on his commercial interests that Mohamed claims violates his constitutional rights.

"The sanctions do not dictate that I cannot do business in my country," Mohamed declared, announcing that legal action against the government was likely.

His businesses, he claims, have been "completely halted" due to American companies severing ties following the sanctions—a blow he appears to have anticipated. What he didn't expect, he suggests, was to be blocked from operating within Guyana itself.

In what amounts to a broadside against the ruling People's Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) administration, Mohamed alleged that unnamed officials have wielded governmental authority as a weapon against him.

According to his account, applications to traverse Guyana's waters have been denied, and long-held mining land permits are being inexplicably withheld.

The accusations take an even darker turn as Mohamed claims that several individuals with connections to the current administration have had their U.S. visas revoked, apparently due to their association with him—connections Mohamed insists he was "totally unaware" of.

This suggests a campaign with international dimensions and serious diplomatic implications.

Media manipulation features prominently in Mohamed's allegations. He specifically named two local outlets, The Daily News and Guyana's Critic, accusing them of acting as mouthpieces for the ruling party by spreading misinformation about him and his business affairs.

Perhaps most chilling is Mohamed's veiled reference to safety concerns. Speaking of "strange occurrences," he hinted at what could be interpreted as an assassination attempt targeting him and his son, adding a layer of physical danger to the economic and reputational damage he claims to have suffered.

What Mohamed conspicuously failed to address, however, were the actual allegations behind the U.S. sanctions. OFAC has accused his son and Mohamed's Enterprise of systematically evading Guyana's tax on gold exports, allegedly defrauding the government of more than $50 million in duty taxes between 2019 and 2023 by under-declaring over 10,000 kilograms of gold.

The U.S. Treasury has further alleged bribery of customs officials to falsify documents and facilitate illicit gold shipments, as well as corruption of government officials to ensure undisrupted movement of currency and goods.

Despite these serious accusations, neither Mohamed nor his associates have been charged by Guyanese authorities, with the government claiming earlier this year that it awaits information from the U.S. to advance local investigations.

As this drama unfolds, Mohamed indicated his company had been attempting to re-register their foreign-flagged vessels under the Guyanese flag—a process he now doubts will proceed given the current climate.

"I don't know if it's going to happen with what's going on," he said, underscoring the uncertainty that now surrounds his business operations.

With allegations of corruption, political vendettas, and hints of violence, Mohamed's revelations have set the stage for what could become a landmark legal battle over the limits of governmental authority in private enterprise.

As of publication, the Guyanese government has yet to respond to these incendiary claims that threaten to shake the nation's political establishment to its foundations.

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