In a statement on Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken introduced new visa restrictions for people who’re “undermining democracy” in Liberia forward of the nation’s elections in October. The assertion got here lower than two weeks earlier than Liberia’s upcoming presidential elections, to be held on October 10, 2023. The election is taken into account a toss-up between Liberia’s presidential incumbent, George Weah, and former Vice President and opposition social gathering chief Joseph Boakai.
Blinken clarified the US stance on the Liberian election, saying,
[T]he United States will pursue visa restrictions for these believed to be liable for, or complicit in, undermining democracy in Liberia, together with by means of manipulation or rigging of the electoral course of; use of violence to stop individuals from exercising their rights to freedom of affiliation and peaceable meeting; use of measures designed to stop political events, voters, civil society, or the media from disseminating their views; or engagement in some other exercise designed to improperly affect the end result of an election. Sure members of the family of such individuals can also be topic to those restrictions. Individuals who undermine democracy in Liberia—together with within the lead-up to, throughout, and following Liberia’s 2023 elections—could also be discovered ineligible for U.S. visas below this coverage.
Blinken concluded his assertion by clarifying that this coverage will not be meant to be directed in direction of the Liberian authorities, or the individuals as an entire, however moderately “particular people” who imply hurt to the democratic course of.
The US will not be the one international authorities to take a preemptive stance on Liberia’s elections. In August, the European Union introduced its plans to ship an “observation mission” to Liberia to observe the democratic course of by means of the course of the election.
Source / Picture: jurist.org