The recent statement by America Secretary of State (equivalent of the title of Foreign Minister), as carried in the international media, on visa restrictions for foreign government officials who censored Americans on exercising their right of free speech as practiced in USA is most welcomed by this writer as well as Guyanese Americans and Guyanese at home. Guyanese says it is long overdue. But it is felt that Secretary Rubio has not gone far enough on triggers of sanctions. There should also be visa restrictions against foreign officials who attack and victimize Americans as well as restrict American investment and those who are complicit in corruption, especially those who are widely known to take bribes or those who abuse Americans or undermine American investment overseas. Already, foreigners are sanctioned for drug trafficking and other serious crimes like murder, rape, violence, etc. Foreign officials who knowingly or deliberately or corruptly give preference to Chinese and other investors over Americans (and who are on the take from Chinese or other foreign businesses) should also be sanctioned (have their visa restricted). Every investor (regardless of nationality, American or non-American) should experience a level playing field in every country. Bribery of which the Chinese have been accused, should not be a condition for awarding state contracts, and as such any foreign official who award state contracts based on kickbacks and business officials who engage in such acts should have American visa revoked.
Americans enjoy untrammeled, nearly unrestricted, absolute freedom of speech. The independent US Supreme Court has repeatedly enforced that right in case after case.
Secretary Rubio noted that foreign government officials especially in Latin America (under which Guyana and the Caribbean are included) have been known to fine, harass, intimidate, and even charge Americans for exercising free speech as they know and exercise it in USA. He stated that the USA will not longer tolerate such abuse of Americans as they travel on foreign soil. Anyone who restrict the free speech of Americans will have their Americans visa revoked.
The American Secretary of State noted: “Free speech is essential to the American way of life – a birthright over which foreign governments have no authority. Foreigners who undermine rights of Americans should not enjoy the privilege of traveling to USA … We see troubling instance of foreign governments and foreign officials taking flagrant censorship actions against US tech companies and Americans. … It is unacceptable for foreign officials to issue or threaten arrest warrants on Americans or US residents for social media posts on American platforms while physically present on US soil. … It is also unacceptable for foreign officials to demand that American tech platforms … to engage in censorship activity that reaches … into the USA”.
The Secretary said USA will not tolerate such encroachment into American sovereignty when they undermine free speech as enshrined in the American constitution. He said there will also be restriction of visa for family members, meaning spouses and children, of foreign officials who restrict free speech of Americans.
Rubio emphasized that passive treatment of those who undermine American rights will no longer be American policy. In other words, Washington will act. The new visa regime takes effect immediately. It is not known what actions, if any, USA will take, if any, against foreign officials, including police, who previously traveled to USA and issued arrest warrants related to free speech on social media platforms.
That new visa policy is long overdue. It should have been implemented decades ago and more expansive to include corruption and other issues that impact Americans. For decades, going back to the 1960s, Americans and Guyanese were censored, jailed, and or abused for free speech. The new rules should be enforced on all officials and politicians, Guyanese included, regardless of party affiliation, and those who run media houses, who (and that) restrict free speech and who threaten Americans for exercising democratic rights. Any official who victimized or threaten Guyanese or Americans for free speech should have visa revoked.
