GUYANA · INQUIRY
The United States has cancelled the visa of Godfrey Smith, a lawyer from Belize in Central America, who chairs Guyana’s public inquiry into the sinking of the MV (motor vessel) Barima passenger ferry, and he says President Irfaan Ali has refused his offer to resign. Smith said on Tuesday, 10 November, that the US revoked the visa on Saturday, 7 November, the date on the notice he shared, and gave him no reason.
The decision touches a country where the United States is a close partner on oil, security and trade, and where ExxonMobil, a US company, operates the Stabroek Block, Guyana’s offshore oil field. Smith links it to his work with China, and we found no US statement that explains it.
Key Facts
- What The US revoked Smith’s visa on Saturday, 7 November; he says he offered to resign as chair.
- Who Smith, a Belizean senior counsel (senior lawyer), chairs the inquiry into the MV Barima passenger ferry sinking.
- Response Smith says President Ali “emphatically declined” his offer; no statement from Ali was found.
- Reason The US notice says new information suggests he may be ineligible, and gives no details.
- Open Smith blames his China ties; that is his own view, not a US statement.
The inquiry into the ferry sinking has not stopped. The reason for the visa decision remains unexplained.
What Smith Said
Smith, a Belizean senior counsel (a senior lawyer) and former foreign minister and attorney general of Belize, said he told President Ali about the revocation and offered to step down in case it hampered his work. He called that the proper course and said Ali “emphatically declined” the offer.
Smith says he also offered to resign from the board of the University of Belize, the state-owned national university, which he chairs. He says Belize’s Minister of Education declined, and that CARICOM, the Caribbean Community regional bloc where he serves as high-level representative for law and criminal justice, had not yet replied.
What the US Notice Says
Smith shared with Belizean media a notice from the US Embassy in Belmopan, Belize’s capital, confirming the revocation. It says information came to light after the visa was issued that suggests he may be ineligible, and it gives no details.
Smith said he has no intention of reapplying for a US visa and believes the decision relates to his work with China, which he says includes arranging visits to China for Belizean journalists and others. He says this is his own view, not a reason given by the US.
Where the Inquiry Stands
Guyana set up the commission to examine why the MV Barima, a passenger ferry, capsized and sank in July. Smith spoke on Tuesday, 10 November, and says he has not stepped down.
Readers can follow the inquiry’s hearings and the coast guard alert after the sinking in our earlier reports. Wider context is in our Guyana coverage.
What It Means for You
For US readers, the episode shows how Washington’s visa decisions can reach into the affairs of a close partner, and Smith’s own view is that China ties lie behind this one, which the US has not confirmed. There is no sign that the decision changes the inquiry’s work.
Readers tracking US and Guyanese ties can also read Guyana’s backing for US sanctions. No US or Guyanese government statement on the matter had been found at the time of writing.
What Is Not Known
Why the US revoked the visa is not known, because the notice gives no details and the embassy gave Smith no reason, he says. We found no statement from the Guyana government or the Presidency, so Ali’s refusal rests on Smith’s account, and CARICOM’s response is pending.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the US revoke Godfrey Smith’s visa?
The US notice says information came to light after the visa was issued that suggests he may be ineligible, and it gives no details. Smith links it to his work with China, which is his own view.
Will Godfrey Smith stay as chair of the MV Barima inquiry?
Smith says President Irfaan Ali emphatically declined his offer to resign. He has not stepped down.
Who is Godfrey Smith?
He is a Belizean senior counsel and a former foreign minister and attorney general of Belize. He chairs the University of Belize board and the Guyana inquiry.
What is the MV Barima inquiry?
It is a commission of inquiry set up in Guyana to examine why the passenger ferry MV Barima capsized and sank in July. Smith chairs it.
Sources: Statements by Godfrey Smith to reporters, 10 November 2026; notice from the US Embassy in Belmopan to Smith, 7 November 2026, as shared by him; Guyana commission of inquiry into the MV Barima.
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