Guyana President Claims Election Victory Amid Oil Wealth Debate

Guyana held general elections to decide the presidency and parliamentary representation amid its rapidly growing oil economy, with incumbent President Irfaan Ali seeking reelection under the People’s Progressive Party (PPP). Ali claimed victory after preliminary results showed his party winning a significant margin, while the newly formed We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party emerged as the new main opposition, displacing the longstanding A Partnership for National Unity (APNU). Despite the oil boom that quadrupled the state budget, over half of the population still lives in poverty, fueling criticism from the opposition about the distribution of oil revenues and government spending contributing to inflation. Ali’s government has invested oil wealth into infrastructure, education, and social programs, but opposition parties accuse the ruling PPP of favoring insiders in resource allocation. The elections took place amid regional tensions, including cross-border incidents with Venezuela, but voting proceeded in an orderly fashion. The results mark a potential political shift in Guyana as voters weigh economic progress against persistent inequality and governance concerns.