Pompeo on two day visit to Guyana

Michael Pompeo

GEORGETOWN – The United States Secretary of State, Michael Pompeo, is due to make to two-day visit here , a senior Guyana government official has confirmed.

He is expected to arrive in Guyana on Thursday

Pompeo was critical of the David Granger administration after the disputed March 2 regional and general elections and Washington threatened to impose stiffer sanctions on the government and other officials if the figures from the national vote recount were not used to determine and declare the results of the polls.

Demerarawaves.com said that the American embassy spokeswoman did not immediately respond to queries about what is expected to be on the agenda of the Secretary of State’s visit to Guyana, but Pompeo is expected to sign a number of agreements with president Dr Irfaan Ali.

Granger had said that in April, his administration had turned down a request from Washington to relay the Voice of America (VOA) radio broadcasts to Venezuela, which is preparing to hold elections.

The United States called for the removal of Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro from office, supporting instead the Opposition leader Juan Guaido, but Maduro has the backing of China, Russia, and Cuba.

Pompeo is also likely to meet with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary-General, Irwin LaRocque. The 15-member regional grouping has already indicated that it adopted a position of non-interference and non-intervention in the internal affairs of the South American country.