Like many other countries in the last decades, Guyana became progressively more authoritarian due to the rise of a populist party. Freedom of expression is restricted by ruling parties in order to keep unwelcome criticism to a minimum. A large illiberal party fights for political supremacy against a broad opposition alliance. Once in power, one side tries to restrict the other at all possible levels.
For example, the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBC) criticized the broadcasting of a press conference at which an opposition party spokesperson called the Prime Minister a “slime ball”. According to the GNBC, this was merely an enforcement of radio mores, but perhaps also a politically controlled process to suppress the opposition.
However, Guyana is not a country like many other countries. Due to Guyanas history and geographical position, in addition to the problems mentioned above, there is also the legacy of colonialism – Guyana was a British colony until 1966 –, the interests of non-state actors, such as gangs and companies, and the actions of other states such as the USA and Venezuela.
On its information page for travelers, the German Foreign Office warns of robberies and cautions against overland travel. The further you penetrate into the jungle, the weaker the state presence becomes and the stronger the influence of gangs and clans. The most resource-rich province of Essequibo has been the cause of heightened tension with neighboring Venezuela since December 2023. Its dictator Maduro has allowed the Venezuelan population to decide in a referendum whether Essequibo should be part of Venezuela. With the acceptance of this referendum, Maduro announced his intention to lead Essequibo to Venezuela.
Guyana is currently trying to avert an escalation by increasing its military presence and filing complaints with the International Court of Justice. According to Reporters Without Borders, the current ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP) is abusing its executive power to intimidate critical journalists with defamation laws. The PPP has dominated Guyana’s political arena for decades. In 2015, it surprisingly lost the presidential elections to the coalition of APNU (A Partnership for National Unity) and AFC (Alliance of Change), which was mainly elected by Indo and Afro-Guyanese. In a new election in 2020, triggered by a vote of no confidence, the first count showed another victory for the coalition. According to international election observers, however, there were significant irregularities. A recount carried out following protests resulted in a victory for the PPP.
Censorship is difficult to detect in the current political situation. However, a look at Guyana’s history reveals censorship and repression.
Under Forbes Burnham, the first Prime Minister after the end of colonial rule, the initially guaranteed freedom of the press was increasingly restricted and the opposition, the still young PPP, was suppressed. One of Guyana’s best-known poets, Martin Carter, used his platform to criticize Burnham and support the PPP. Burnham then tried to make the publication of Carter’s works more difficult.
Of interest here is the case of Walter Rodney, who achieved worldwide fame as a representative of post-colonial theory. The Guyana government repeatedly restricted his works and made access to his publications more difficult. In June 1980, Walter Rodney fell victim to an attack in Georgetown, in which the government was possibly involved.
The investigation is ongoing. If you have any information on censorship in Guyana, please contact us!
Kassel, spring 2025