Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in Guyana on the recent outbreak of violence in that country; and what diplomatic steps he is taking to help ensure a peaceful and democratic resolution in that country.

The United Kingdom is deeply concerned by the events following the elections in Guyana on 2 March 2020. The Foreign Secretary issued a statement on 10 March, calling upon President Granger to preserve the principle of free, fair and credible elections. A fair and free process is vital for the maintenance and reinforcement of peaceful democracy in Guyana, and we call upon the president to ensure that proper procedures are followed before embarking upon a transition of government. Failure to do so will have implications for leading figures in Guyana and for the country as a whole.

We remain in close contact with the Guyanese authorities about the situation, and stand ready to offer assistance to ensure a credible election result is produced.