The political group We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) has accused a government minister and his associates of involvement in a “massive gold smuggling operation” allegedly funded by a Brazilian drug cartel, claiming that United States (U.S.) federal authorities are “fully aware and investigating presently.”
In a social media post, WIN detailed that Indigenous youth on their ancestral lands in Marudi, Region 9, were tied and detained by Brazilian security personnel while panning for small amounts of gold. The post described the youth as working “in a handful of gravel where they have been doing this for generations,” while warning that “dozens of Brazilian security are employed to protect the site.”
WIN alleged that “this foreign operation is mining under questionable circumstances in Marudi Mountain” and that “tens of thousands of kilos of gold are being smuggled across the border into Venezuela and facilitated by this Minister.”
The post also highlighted the environmental and social impacts of large-scale foreign mining in the area, stating:
“Major foreign companies are protected when they come here to do large-scale gold mining on ancestral lands…The dust pollution and the contamination of surrounding rivers to the Marudi Mountain are causing health issues for the residents.”
Further allegations linked the cartel to political activity, with WIN claiming that it “financed the PPP Region 9 Campaign at the 2025 Regional and General Elections,” and that “hundreds of Brazilians were unlawfully given Guyana ID Cards from the PPP in exchange for their vote.” The post referenced images of buses shuttling more than fifty people to a rally in Lethem during the elections.
WIN concluded its post by calling on “International Organisations to look into this,” urging global oversight of alleged mining and political malpractices affecting Indigenous communities. The post tagged the U.S Department of Homeland Security and FBI
Indigenous communities in Guyana have long faced systemic challenges regarding the recognition and protection of their ancestral lands. Despite legal advancements, such as the Amerindian Land Titling (ALT) project, which has secured legal tenure for 16.48% of the country’s landmass, many communities continue to encounter obstacles. Issues persist with mapping inaccuracies, overlapping mining concessions, and a lack of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) in land use decisions, leading to conflicts over land access and resource rights.
These challenges are particularly evident in regions like Marudi, where large-scale mining operations, often involving foreign entities, have encroached upon Indigenous territories. Such activities not only threaten the environment but also undermine the cultural and economic livelihoods of Indigenous peoples, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive land rights reforms and genuine consultation processes.
