U.S. Senator Marco Rubio and a number of his colleagues have written President David Granger commending the start of the vote-recount process for Guyana’s disputed March 2nd Presidential election and urging him to permit additional observers to the process.
The Florida Republican Senator did not name the Carter Center which has been trying to send a team to monitor the recount. The government has said that COVID-19 restrictions have to be complied with if the team is to return.
The May 12 letter by the senators said that allowing additional international observers to scrutinize the process is an essential step to strengthening the credibility of the recount.
As part of efforts to stem the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, Guyana has closed its borders and international airports to commercial flights, giving permission only in certain circumstances for chartered flights to come in.
The US-based Carter Center has written the government seeking special permission to be allowed in the country to observe the recount process.
They are still to receive positive word despite appeals from the US, Canada, the UN and others that they be allowed in.
About two weeks ago, the task force granted permission for a high-level team from CARICOM to come into the country as scrutineers of the recount process. They were required to have a negative COVID-19 test before arriving.
In his letter of May 12th, 2020 Rubio said that while they recognize that Guyana has closed its international airport as part of its efforts to address COVID-19, “we understand that your government is providing special authorization in important cases.”
It is against this background that he and his colleagues said that with full respect for Guyana’s public health measures, they are hopeful that Granger will consider the presence of additional international observers an essential step to strengthening the credibility of the recount.
Noting that they are closely monitoring the recount while supporting the conduct in a free, fair and transparent manner, the Senator said a crucial part of that process is that credible international observers be allowed to return to Guyana and be given “free and unfettered access to all aspects of the recount in order to confirm the integrity of the process.”
Rubio said they support a fair and transparent recount of the March Presidential election to allay any concerns among the Guyanese people in the integrity of their democratic institutions, in line with Guyana’s successful democratic electoral transitions of the past three decades.
The letter goes on to state that in the midst of the challenges the world is facing due to the coronavirus pandemic, Guyana is on the verge of historic change and prosperity and decisions made today will determine whether or not the Guyanese people enter this new era united and confident that their political institutions fairly and equitably reflect their will.
Touting Granger’s leadership in what they describe as a critical moment to Guyana entering this new era with confidence and hope among all Guyanese for a better future, Rubio said it is their hope that Granger will continue his legacy by working toward a better future for all Guyanese people.
The letter was written by Rubio along with Senators Jim Risch (Republican of Idaho) and Bob Menendez (Democrat of New Jersey) as well as Tim Kaine (Democrat of Virginia) and Ben Cardin (Democrat of Maryland).
