Guyana Opposition Party Candidate Poised to Take Office
Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2020 2:03 am
Ali, presidential candidate for Guyana's opposition People's Progressive Party, meets with supporters in Georgetown, June 8, 2020.
Guyanese opposition candidate Irfaan Ali is expected to be sworn in as president.
Preliminary tallies published by Guyana’s elections commission shows Ali, of the People's Progressive Party, won a recount of votes in March’s presidential election following accusations the count was compromised.
The president of the small South American country, David Granger, had claimed victory despite international observers saying the vote count was unfair.
The recount vote is expected to be certified by the end of the day on Tuesday.
President Granger’s A Partnership for National Unity + AFC party secured 31 seats in the legislature, but Ali's PPP party has a majority with 33 seats in the 65-seat legislature.
Political observers believe the contested election may reignite tensions between Afro-Guyanese and those of Indian descent, with each group maneuvering to control of the country’s oil production profits.