Elections in Guyana: A Logistical Challenge
On Monday, thousands of Guyanese cast their votes to elect a new president who will face the challenge of managing the country’s vast oil wealth amidst tensions with neighboring Venezuela. The results are expected to be announced as early as Thursday, according to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).
These elections are complex from a logistical standpoint, as over 95% of Guyana’s territory is covered by dense tropical rainforest, home to a population of approximately 850,000 people.
GECOM Spokesperson Reports on Election Day
By 8:00 PM local time, GECOM spokesperson Yolanda Ward reported that “it is likely that all polling stations have closed and are now proceeding with the counting.”
According to GECOM regulations, polling centers must remain open as long as voters are present.
Mike Singh, an observer from Transparency International, concurred that the day’s events had transpired without incident. However, he expressed concern that waiting until Thursday for results could be “a recipe for disaster.”
“I Hope for the Best”
With her baby in arms, 21-year-old Grace Miller voted early for the first time, casting her ballot for opposition candidate Aubrey Norton of the People’s National Unity Party (APNU).
“He is one of the best politicians I have ever known. I hope for the best for Guyana,” Miller said.
Key Presidential Candidates
Among the six presidential candidates are incumbent President Irfaan Ali (People’s Progressive Party/Civic – PPP/C), seeking reelection, Aubrey Norton of the APNU, and Azruddin Mohamed, often referred to as the “Guyanese Trump,” a multimillionaire who recently founded WIN (We Invest in the Nation/Invierte en la Nación) to break the two-party system.
In Guyana’s electoral process, candidates are nominated by parties that also field parliamentary candidates. The presidential candidate whose party receives the most votes is elected, potentially leading to a situation where the president’s party holds a minority in Parliament.
Historically, voting has been divided along ethnic lines between those of Indian origin (PPP/C) and Afro-Guyanese (APNU). The WIN candidate is now considered a wildcard.
“Maximum Alert” with Venezuela
The Venezuelan issue has loomed over Guyana’s electoral process. The new president will need to manage relations with Venezuela regarding the disputed Esequibo region, which is rich in oil and minerals and constitutes two-thirds of Guyana’s territory.
The century-old dispute escalated in 2015 when US oil company ExxonMobil confirmed the presence of significant crude reserves in the contested area.
Ali, who is strongly opposed to Nicolás Maduro, has expressed support for the deployment of US military forces in the Caribbean and stated that he will back “anything that eliminates any threat” to Guyana’s security.
“Security forces are on maximum alert. They are ready. We have been discussing this throughout the campaign: Venezuela is a threat,” Ali said after casting his vote in Leonora, about 35 km from the capital Georgetown.
Guyana’s military and police reported shots fired from Venezuela at a vessel carrying electoral materials in the Esequibo region, which has been disputed with Venezuela for over a century.
Venezuela denied the allegations, with Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López accusing Guyana of attempting to “create a war front.”
“More Money in Pockets”
The legislative and presidential elections in Guyana saw 750,000 eligible voters called to the polls.
The winner will take charge of Guyana’s oil wealth, which has quadrupled the state budget in five years (USD 6.7 billion in 2025) and led to the highest growth rate in Latin America (43.6% in 2024, according to official figures).
The top three candidates have pledged to “put more money in the pockets” of Guyanese, develop the country using oil revenues, improve healthcare and education services, and raise wages amid rising food prices.
Confident in his reelection, Ali has highlighted the achievements of his government financed by new oil revenues and asserted that “there is still much to be done.”
Guyana began oil extraction in 2019 and aims to increase production from 650,000 barrels per day to over one million by 2030.
Key Questions and Answers
- Who are the main presidential candidates in Guyana’s elections? The key candidates include incumbent President Irfaan Ali (PPP/C), opposition candidate Aubrey Norton of the APNU, and Azruddin Mohamed, known as the “Guyanese Trump,” who recently founded WIN.
- What are the main challenges facing Guyana’s new president? The new president will need to manage the country’s vast oil wealth and navigate tensions with neighboring Venezuela, particularly regarding the disputed Esequibo region.
- When are the election results expected to be announced? The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) expects to announce the results as early as Thursday.
- What is the significance of Guyana’s oil wealth? Guyana’s oil wealth has led to a quadrupling of the state budget in five years, with the highest growth rate in Latin America. The new president will be responsible for managing and utilizing these resources.
- What is the Esequibo dispute? The Esequibo region, rich in oil and minerals, is disputed between Guyana and Venezuela. The century-old disagreement escalated in 2015 when ExxonMobil confirmed significant crude reserves in the contested area.
