Guyana Elections 2025: Gunfire from Venezuela targets ballot boxes along Cuyuni River ahead of Sept 1 vote

Guyana: Threats loom over Guyana's September 1 elections as GECOM officials report a shooting incident targeting general election ballot boxes. Gunshots were fired from Venezuela at a boat carrying materials for Guyana’s election on Monday, confirmed Guyanese armed forces and police officials.

The incident took place around 2:30 p.m. along the upper Cuyuni River near the Guyana-Venezuela border, as the GECOM officials were transporting ballot boxes.

The armed forces confirmed that the vessel came under attack as gunmen from the Venezuelan bank of the river opened fire on the nine Guyana Elections Commission officials (GECOM) who were traveling along with military and police personnel aboard a patrol boat.

Upon witnessing the attack, military and police personnel on the patrol vessel swiftly responded with return fire, successfully escorting GECOM officials and ballot boxes to safety without any injuries or damage to election materials.

The ballot boxes attacked were reportedly delivered to their assigned polling stations in the  Essequibo region, a region that is known to be oil-rich and the center of the territorial dispute between Guyana and Venezuela.

Guyana is known to have one of the largest per capita oil reserves on the planet with the majority of them located in the Essequibo region.

The attack coincides with Election Day, raising concerns as over 750,000 Guyanese citizens head to the polls to elect their next president, 65 parliamentarians, and 10 regional council members who will lead the nation.

Speculations that the Venezuelan government of Nicolás Maduro was behind the attack have risen as the gunmen were shooting from the Venezuelan bank.

Separately, U.S. President Donald Trump had already deployed warships, aircraft and troops to the southern Caribbean to combat drug trafficking after the U.S. accused Maduro of being behind a drug syndicate in the country of Venezuela and offering a  $50 million bounty on Maduro.

Furthermore, Maduro had reignited a long-standing border dispute with Guyana and faced accusations of attempting to undermine the Guyana government through the WIN party. These allegations intensified after the father of presidential candidate Azruddin Mohamed was spotted visiting the Venezuelan embassy multiple times, a claim he strongly denied despite video evidence.

Notably, Six parties are set to contest in the  September 1, 2025 elections with 2,790 polling stations set across Guyana, with at least 700 local and international observers expected to monitor the voting and counting process.

Guyana's Chief Election Officer, Vishnu Persaud, while talking about the upcoming elections said, "Every detail is in place for Election Day... I wish to commend the dedication of GECOM staff across the country. Their tireless effort and commitment, often going above and beyond the call of duty...to have ensured that every ballot, every material, and every detail is in place for Election Day."

He announced that Guyana is expected to have a new government by September 4, once the results are released, determining who will lead the country for the next five years.