Pompeo also going to Suriname

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will also visit Suriname on Thursday before arriving in Guyana. Media in the country announced this and the Surinamese Minister of Foreign Affairs confirmed it to the news agency ANP.

It is the first time that a US Secretary of State has visited Suriname. Foreign Minister Albert Ramdin told  the ANP that he sees the meeting as a sign of American confidence in the new government of President Chan Santokhi.

Earlier this year, Pompeo said he was following the elections in both countries closely. Towards the end of Guyana’s five-month election crisis he announced visa sanctions on persons undermining democracy here and called on the Granger administration to step aside after the recount results showed that it had lost the March 2nd general elections.

There is intense speculation in Guyana about the purpose of Pompeo’s visit.