GEORGETOWN, Guyana — Guyana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has raised concern over what it described as “contradictory” statements by the Venezuelan Ambassador in Georgetown regarding a visa application linked to controversial businessman Nazar Mohamed.
In a statement Tuesday, the ministry questioned why the ambassador was now being “secretive” about Mr. Mohamed’s visit to the Venezuelan Embassy, despite earlier confirming to Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hugh Todd that the businessman had indeed visited and presented supporting documents.
The ministry said the ambassador’s latest comments “stand in direct contradiction” to his previous account, during which he also disclosed that the event referenced in the visa application was scheduled for July 2025, though the actual embassy visit took place a month later, in August.
“The Ministry therefore views the Ambassador’s subsequent denial as both troubling and inconsistent with his previous statement,” the release said, adding that Guyana expects all accredited diplomats to “uphold the highest standards of honesty, professionalism, and respect for the norms governing diplomatic relations.”
An invitation letter connected to the matter was also released for public reference.
Nazar Mohamed, a prominent gold dealer and founder of Mohamed’s Enterprise, and his son, Azruddin Mohamed, are both under U.S. sanctions and facing criminal charges in the United States.
In June 2024, the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned the Mohameds and their associated companies, accusing them of large-scale corruption and gold-export fraud that allegedly deprived Guyana of more than US $50 million in tax revenue.
Earlier this month, both men were indicted in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida on charges including wire fraud, money laundering, and bribery, stemming from alleged schemes to illegally ship gold from Guyana to Miami and Dubai.
Azruddin Mohamed also leads the emerging political party We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), which recently secured 16 of 65 parliamentary seats in Guyana’s September 2025 elections, positioning it as a new opposition force.
The ministry’s remarks have drawn renewed attention to the Mohameds’ diplomatic and legal entanglements, underscoring the sensitivity of Venezuela’s handling of the visa-related visit.