Guyana‘s President Irfaan Ali has been re-elected for a second term, with his People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) securing 55% of the 65-seat parliament.
The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) declared Ali the winner after his party garnered over 242,000 votes, solidifying his mandate to manage the country’s booming oil sector.
Ali’s re-election comes as Guyana continues to reap the benefits of its oil wealth, with the country expected to reach production of one million barrels per day by 2030.
Since ExxonMobil started pumping offshore oil in late 2019, Guyana has earned a $7.5 billion windfall from oil sales and royalties, making it one of the world’s fastest-growing economies.
The state budget has quadrupled in five years to $6.7 billion in 2025, with a remarkable economic growth of 43.6% in 2024.
Despite the economic success, Ali faces significant challenges. More than half of Guyana’s population still lives in poverty, and the president must ensure that the benefits of the oil wealth reach all citizens.
Ali’s government has invested in building roads, schools, and hospitals, and made tertiary education free. However, the real test lies in distributing the wealth equitably.
Ali’s second term will also be marked by rising tensions with Venezuela, which claims sovereignty over the oil-rich Essequibo region.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has appointed authorities for the region and rejected the International Court of Justice’s jurisdiction over the dispute.
The dispute has intensified since the discovery of enormous oil resources in 2015, and Guyana has appealed to the court to ratify the 1899 award that established its current borders.
The United States has expressed support for Guyana, but its military build-up in the Caribbean has escalated tensions with Venezuela. Maduro has warned that he is ready to “declare a republic in arms” if attacked by US forces.
Ali’s victory has been congratulated by world leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who expressed his desire to strengthen India-Guyana ties. The British Embassy also congratulated Ali and Guyana for a successful and peaceful election.
The PPP/C secured 36 seats in the National Assembly, while We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) gained 16 seats, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) gained 12 seats, and Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) gained one seat.
The opposition-nominated GECOM commissioners abstained from supporting the results, but no issues were raised with the report.