GEORGETOWN, Guyana — President Irfaan Ali on Wednesday vowed that the perpetrators of last month’s deadly bombing at the Mobil gas station on Regent and King Streets will face the full weight of Guyanese law, calling the attack a deliberate act of terrorism that has shaken the country’s sense of security. Ali made the remarks after swearing in newly elected Regional Chairpersons and Vice-Chairpersons, telling reporters that the government will “use every available tool” to ensure justice for the victims.
The explosion, which occurred just after 7 p.m. on October 26, ripped through the busy central Georgetown station, killing six-year-old Soraya Bourne and injuring at least four others. The blast destroyed vehicles at the pumps, shattered windows of nearby buildings and forced emergency responders to deploy a foam suppression system as leaking propane and debris fuelled fears of a larger inferno, according to early reports carried by Stabroek News. CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts described a sudden fireball followed by chaos as workers and passersby scrambled for cover.
Investigators quickly linked the explosion to an improvised explosive device, prompting a multi-agency manhunt that included support from the Safe City Command Centre. By the first week of November, police had arrested seven suspects — four Venezuelan nationals and three Guyanese — in what News Room described as a coordinated operation targeting safe houses and known transit points used by undocumented migrants. The prime suspect, identified by police as 33-year-old Venezuelan national Daniel Alexander Ramirez Peodemo, allegedly admitted to involvement during initial questioning. According to police statements reported by Guyana Times, Peodemo is believed to have entered Guyana illegally on the morning of the attack before returning to the station to detonate the device.
Prosecutors have since laid terrorism, murder, attempted murder, arson and conspiracy charges against the seven accused. At a private meeting with the victim’s family, Ali assured them that those responsible would be held fully accountable, saying the state would not hesitate to seek the maximum penalties allowed under Guyana’s anti-terror laws. Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo told reporters days earlier that nationality “will not matter” in determining culpability, signalling the government’s intention to pursue charges against all individuals found to have played any role, a position widely reported by News Room and Kaieteur News.
As investigators continue to analyze footage and forensic material — including images of the explosive device allegedly recovered from the suspect’s mobile phone — police have kept nine persons in custody under court-approved extensions while intelligence teams probe whether the attack was planned locally, directed from abroad or linked to organized criminal networks. Authorities have not disclosed a motive.
The bombing, one of the most alarming acts of violence in Georgetown in recent years, has intensified public debate about border security, migration flows and the availability of explosive materials. The government has indicated that intelligence-led policing and inter-agency collaboration will be expanded as part of a broader security review.
Ali, describing the attack as “heinous” and “intended to inflict maximum harm,” said the state will pursue the case relentlessly. “In a country where innocent lives were taken — including a child — we will not rest until justice is delivered,” he said.