Guyana and the Caribbean are becoming increasingly concerned about the Trump administration’s policies, and in response the Irfaan Ali administration has enlisted a consultancy firm led by Carlos Trujillo, one of his Latino advisors.
A document filed under the US Foreign Agents Registration Act states that Trujillo, who works for the consulting firm Continental Strategy LLC, signed the contract on December 13, 2024. On February 5th, this year, Elisabeth Harper, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, signed the agreement on Guyana’s behalf.
- Advertisement -
The local administration did not announce the signature of the agreement.
According to the terms of the contract with the Virginia-based lawyer, it will run for six months starting on December 16, 2024, and it can be extended to the client’s request, provided the firm performs well.
For the term of the contract, the customer will pay the business US$50,000 ($10 million) per month.
The business will also send the customer a monthly charge for acceptable engagement-related expenditures, such as registration fees and travel expenses.
“The Firm will act prudently in its undertakings and in any instance where monthly costs will exceed (US$15,000), seek prior written approval from the Client,” the agreement states.
Trujillo was appointed U.S. Ambassador to the Organization of American States by President Trump in October 2017. In addition, he provided the Trump team with Latin vote advice prior to the November elections.
According to analysts, Georgetown would want to make sure that Washington supports Guyana’s stance on the boundary dispute with Venezuela and the arbitral ruling from 1899 that supports it. Georgetown would be anticipating strong backing from Washington given Venezuela’s increased hostility, which was demonstrated on March 1st when one of its military ships entered Guyana’s seas. Remarkably, the US Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs sent a statement on X (previously Twitter) on March 1st, just hours after the raid.
The declaration said “Venezuelan naval vessels threatening ExxonMobil’s floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) unit is unacceptable and a clear violation of Guyana’s internationally recognized maritime territory. Further provocation will result in consequences for the Maduro regime. The United States reaffirms its support for Guyana’s territorial integrity and the 1899 arbitral award”.
Trump has declared his intention to appoint Trujillo as the new Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs in March 2020. Trujillo took part in a Senate Committee on Foreign Relations hearing in July 2020, however, his nomination was sent back to the president on January 3, 2021.
Georgetown will probably also try to influence the Trump administration on the issue of deportees’ return here and the possibility of sanctions on officials of nations participating in Cuban medical missions, which Washington has called human trafficking.
According to Continental Strategy’s website, “We specialize in advising and representing our clients across a wide range of issues in Washington, D.C., Florida, and throughout Latin America. Our team has decades of experience working in state and federal government, lobbying, and advising on policy, politics, and communications. Our relationships with policymakers, legislators, elected officials, and staff have been cultivated over decades while working in the executive and legislative branches of federal and state government. We specialize in guiding our clients in public and private sector endeavors, spearheading political and diplomatic initiatives, and collaborating with multilateral institutions and non-governmental organizations. Our team analyzes and evaluates policies, legislation, and market conditions, to create custom strategies to advance our client’s objectives”.
In addition to being a founding partner of Trujillo, Vargas, Gonzalez and Hevia LLP and an assistant state attorney in Florida’s 11th Judicial District, Trujillo was elected to the Florida House of Representatives for eight years.
Before joining the OAS, Trump had nominated Trujillo to represent the US at the 72nd UN General Assembly, where former Ambassador Nikki Haley accompanied him.
Before working in Washington, Trujillo was elected to the Florida House of Representatives as the State Representative for the 105th District, according to the website. He held several positions there, including Chairman of the Florida House Appropriations Committee, which required him to oversee and appropriate a $83.5 billion budget, Chair of the Economic Development Subcommittee, and Chair of the Criminal Justice Subcommittee.
