Ah, elections – the perfect time for the US to show off their match-making skills and pick their favorite candidate. With Liberia’s elections scheduled for 2023, it’s only a matter of time before Uncle Sam comes knocking. President Weah has already shown his affinity for the US, so it’s no surprise to see him back in action as the election season heats up. Looks like the US is eager to maintain its influence in Liberia, and Weah seems happy to play along. Will the US get their perfect match or will Liberia swipe left? Only time will tell.
Weah meets CIA
Speculations and rumors abound about a possible visit by Liberian President Weah to the US for a meeting with the CIA. However, the people of Liberia are seeking clarity from their government, which has not provided any information thus far.
Prior to Weah’s recent visit to the United States, rumors were circulating that William Burns, the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the USA, had secretly visited Liberia and held discussions with President George Weah.
The Government of Liberia has neither confirmed nor denied these rumors and has remained tight-lipped. No details have been released to the public. Likewise, there were also speculations that following his discussion with President Weah, the CIA Director extended an invitation to the Liberian leader to visit Langley in Virginia, USA, for further discussions on issues that affect the interests of the US government.
As of now, the Liberian government has not responded to the speculations, and even after the President’s arrival in the US, the government has remained silent.
In relation to this visit, former Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs George Wisner has written a letter to the editor of one of Liberia’s local dailies. In the letter, he stated that the reported invitation to President Weah and his Minister of Justice to visit Langley (CIA headquarters) instead of the State Department or the White House is “strange.”
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He also added, “Some have argued that perhaps the CIA is looking to make a deal with Weah as geopolitical rivalry intensifies between East and West, and as the US re-evaluates its strategic interests in sub-Saharan Africa. I find this theory strange. Spy agencies recruiting an asset do not expose that asset in the way the invitation to Weah exposes him to suspicion among his peers. Moreover, spy agencies seldom reveal their intentions so openly, as the invitation to Weah does.
Is the CIA getting involved in Liberia elections?
Wisner has also raised the question of whether the invitation to President Weah and his Attorney, the Minister of Justice, is to confront him with “irrefutable evidence of money laundering.” Some of his key lieutenants have been sanctioned by the US, and allegations of money laundering were also raised by the Kroll report into the investigation into the USD25 million mop-up fiasco.
The United States has levied allegations of rampant corruption in Liberia, and only last year, the Biden administration sanctioned three top Liberian officials, including a top aide to President George Weah, as part of its crackdown on alleged corruption in the country, which is a close ally in West Africa.
Now, speculations have arisen that this invitation to Weah by the CIA is to exact compliance on matters related to vital US interests as the country prepares for polls this year. It is widely known that the US has played a role in African elections. Whether in Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, or now Liberia, it has been observed that the US finds ways to get involved and exert its influence to support its preferred candidates.
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It is possible that the US is exerting its influence in Liberia’s upcoming elections, as evidenced by the recent contract secured by the Elections Coordinating Committee (ECC) from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The ECC, the leading organic elections observation group in the country, will receive US$1.5 million to enhance its observatory work for the October 2023 presidential and legislative elections, with activities covering all stages of the electoral process.
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Further, the contract, which has been sealed under the project title, Liberia Domestic Elections Observation (LIDEO) Activity, is expected to cover activities at all stages of the electoral process, including the legislative and presidential elections.
The Executive Director of ECC, Oscar Bloh, announced that “in addition to the long-term observers, the ECC will deploy 1,200 short-term observers on Election Day.”
Thus, it is clear that the US is going to have a lot of influence in the upcoming Liberian elections. Moreover, the country has been dealing with other issues. There are reports that the election funds have been reduced as Liberia’s opposition has questioned the legality of voter registration.
Liberia’s National Elections Commission (NEC) has announced that the ongoing voter registration for the upcoming 10 October presidential and legislative elections will be split into two phases due to inadequate funding. This is the first time that Liberia is moving from optical manual registration (OMR) to Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) in an effort to fight against double registrants or duplication, which has marred previous elections.
According to Commission Chairperson Davidetta Browne-Lansanah, the BVR system was projected to cost $91 million to run the election, but the finance ministry reduced the budget. Despite this setback, the Election Coordinating Committee (ECC) will still deploy 1,200 short-term observers on Election Day, in addition to long-term observers, to cover activities at all stages of the electoral process. It is clear that the US will have a significant influence in the upcoming Liberian elections, and the country will need to address these issues to ensure a fair and transparent electoral process.
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All of this raises doubts about the intentions of the government. Countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in Africa have witnessed the significant roles played by Western lobbyists in trying to swing elections. According to reports, all three contenders in the DRC elections were busy for several months on the banks of the Potomac, trying to win favors from Washington. Such is the influence of the US in some elections in Africa. Liberia, a strong pro-West country in West Africa, has immense geopolitical significance for the US. As we have previously explained, the US, with its control over Liberia, is trying to eventually establish a strong hold over neighboring nations like Guinea, thereby virtually trying to control the whole region of resource-rich West Africa.
Thus, these recent events seem to indicate that something’s brewing. While we can only speculate about the purpose of Weah’s visit to the CIA headquarters, it’s pretty clear that the US is looking to get a slice of the upcoming Liberia elections. They say that when Uncle Sam comes knocking, you better watch out for your ballot box!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyN3ecFmg8o&t=10s