By: Staff Writer
September 2, 2025
The Guyana elections were smooth as there was not a hint of violence outside of a skirmish with Venezuelan forces at the Essequibo river region and claims by opposition leader Aubrey Norton that the Guyana police were intimidating voters and tampering with the election process.
While there has not been an identified winner in the September 1 Guyanese elections, but with the polls closed, it is safe to say that there were not any mass waves of violence or vandalism or election-based violence.
The polls closed on Monday evening at 6:00pm and up to that time anyone who wanted to participate in the election was able to.
This does not mean that the election was not without its incidents.
Security forces in Guyana say a boat carrying election officials and ballot boxes was shot at “from the Venezuelan shore” in the contested Essequibo region.
Police and the Guyana defence force said in a joint statement that the incident occurred on Sunday, the day before the election polls were set to open.
The patrol that had been escorting the officials “immediately returned fire” and no one was injured, Guyana’s security forces said.
Additionally, leader of the opposition Aubrey Norton, told reporters outside of a polling station on Monday afternoon that the police were interfering with the polling station.
His claims were not indicative of any widespread voter fraud or intimidation and no formal investigation has been launched.
The oil rich country is undergoing rapid transformation now that its new found oil wealth has boosted thre country’s economy and as now the fastest growing country in at least the Western Hemisphere.
The next leadership team will have to continue the pace of economic development and simultaneously deal with the Venezuelan issue and pressure from the US on relations with the People’s Republic of China.
The results from the election may come within the next three days Caribbean Magazine Plus understands as it takes that long to gather and tally all of the votes from the far flung polling stations.