The United States Department of State restricts visas for the June 24th elections that saw President Bio win 56% of the votes.
In the statement, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed support for and advancement of democracy. The statement says, In an effort to address the undermining of the Sierra Leone election, the US government has introduced a new visa restriction policy under Section 212(a)(3)C).
However, the State Department did not explicitly mention whether these restrictions would affect President Bio and his family. There is no specific mention of the president in the statement, suggesting that the focus is on other individuals involved in undermining democracy.
This move is not unprecedented. Similar visa restrictions were previously imposed on Nigerian officials following their elections, underlining the US commitment to democratic principles.
Using this newly announced policy, the US will pursue visa restrictions on those suspected of undermining democracy in Sierra Leone. These restrictions may also apply to family members of those who undermined the democratic process. The visa restriction policy recently announced does not target ordinary Sierra Leoneans.
The Sierra Leone Peoples Party won the June 24 Presidential elections with 56%, while the main opposition All Peoples Congress alleged fraud. The Party decided unanimously not to participate in government.
