A combative President Irfaan Ali has denied the use of Government resources to attack his political opponents through the use of a US lobbying firm that was hired by his Government at a cost of US$50,000 per month.

Questioned by reporters on the sidelines of an event this morning, the President said his Government has not hired any lobbying firm to target anyone.

“I don’t understand what you are saying about a lobbying firm being hired, the Government has hired no lobbying firm to target anyone, so the premise of your question is wrong and you need to come again, and you need to come again with facts”, he said in response to a question posed by News Source.

The lobbying firm, Continental Strategy LLC, in its filing with the US Justice Department detailed its work for the Guyana Government as a foreign agent. The lobbying firm also included its six-month contract which was signed with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on behalf of the Guyana Government. Additionally, the lobbying firm filed an email exchange between its founding partner and the office of a US Congressman with “draft tweets” for use by the office.

The five “draft tweets” that the lobbying firm shared all targeted sanctioned businessman and Presidential Candidate, Azruddin Mohamed, and linked him to the Venezuelan regime of Nicholas Maduro.

The US Congressman released a tweet on Monday morning that mirrors one of the “draft tweets” supplied by the Government-hired lobbying firm.

Today, President Ali claimed that the story about the lobbying firm and its work were “made up”, although the firm has filed all of its information including its contract with the Guyana Government and email exchanges with the Congressman’s office with the US Justice Department.

“Don’t come with your make up stories for your own political narrative that your news agency is geared towards”, he said.

Further questioned about the reason behind the Government asking the US firm to lobby on its behalf in relation to Venezuela and his political opponent, the President said Venezuela remains a threat.

“We have the capability that is necessary with our allies to keep our allies informed and to work with us to ensure that at the diplomatic level our message our communication is intact”, the President said.

Pressed as to how that message includes his political opponent and linking him to the Venezuela regime, President Ali said Azruddin Mohamed is no saint.

“Azruddin Mohamed has been accused by the US Government and has been sanctioned by the US Government. Azruddin Mohamed has defrauded Guyana in the documents that the US Government has of US$50 million in the last couple years alone. This is no saint we are talking about, this is a man that is dangerous to our society. He has defrauded the state, he is sanctioned by the United States, he is sanctioned by OFAC, and when you are sanctioned by OFAC, you are in breach in major international laws and treaties, that is who Azruddin Mohamed is”, Ali said.

After repeatedly being questioned about concerns about the use of Government resources to attack a political opponent through the US lobbying firm, the President hopped in his car, but then sprung back out to deny the use of Government resources.

“The people’s progressive party does not need state resources to run our campaign. We do not need any state resources to run our campaign. Our campaign is run by the People’s Progressive Party with all resources provided by the people of Guyana and we are strong and will defeat any force that is a head of us”.

Presidential Candidate of the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party has accused the Government of Guyana of using tax payer money to have a foreign nation attack him politically, pointing to the tweet sent out by the US Congressman and the “draft tweets” that were sent to him by the Government’s lobbying firm.

Mohamed has also rubbished claims of any links to the Venezuelan Government.

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