Guyana Anti Corruption Network

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Guyana Anti-Corruption Network Alarmed by Government’s Embrace of Convicted Brazilian Fugitive; Demands Probe into Rodrigo Martins Mello’s Official Connections

GEORGETOWN, Guyana – April 1, 2026 – The Guyana Anti-Corruption Network (GACN) today sounds the highest alarm over the Guyana government’s sustained engagement with a Brazilian national who is a convicted criminal and active fugitive fleeing a lengthy prison sentence for devastating crimes against Indigenous peoples and the Amazon rainforest. This situation represents an immediate threat to the rule of law, Guyana’s national security, and the integrity of its emerging economy.

In February 2026, a Brazilian federal court convicted Rodrigo Martins de Mello—also known as “Rodrigo Cataratas”—and sentenced him to more than 22 years in prison for leading a criminal organization, money laundering, and illegal mining on protected Indigenous land. The court found that Mello orchestrated a massive illegal gold mining operation in the Yanomami Indigenous Territory, managing a fleet of at least 23 aircraft to transport miners, fuel, and supplies while extracting illegally mined gold. The environmental and human toll has been catastrophic: mercury poisoning now affects nearly 70% of the Yanomami people, and malnutrition-related deaths among Indigenous children increased by 330% during the period of Mello’s operations. The court ordered Mello to pay more than 31.7 million reais ($6.1 million) in damages to the Yanomami people.

Rather than surrender to serve his sentence, Mello fled Brazil and sought refuge in Guyana, where he has been embraced by the highest levels of government.

Official records show that on November 28, 2023, then-Acting President and Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, met with a delegation that included Rodrigo Martins Mello, Mr. Andrey Dimitry De Almeida Rocha, Mr. Marlon Amaral De Oliveira, Mr. Fabio Braga Leite, and a translator. The government’s own press release framed the discussion as focusing on “potential investment opportunities in infrastructure development, tourism, and other avenues.”

Mello’s Mining Activities in Guyana
The GACN has documented that Mello is actively pursuing mining interests in Guyana while evading Brazilian justice. Photographs circulating on social media show Mello inside the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Office of the Prime Minister. Reports indicate Mello has announced mining projects valued in the millions of dollars while Brazilian federal authorities hold an outstanding warrant for his arrest.

Official Connections Under Investigation
The GACN is now conducting a deep dive into the official connections that have enabled Mello and his network to operate with impunity in Guyana. We are investigating the nature of the facilitation provided by state agencies, including the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), to determine whether public officials have knowingly assisted a convicted fugitive in acquiring mining concessions, land titles, or business licenses.

Questions that demand answers include:

· What background checks were conducted before Mello was granted audience with the nation’s top leadership?
· Was the government aware that Mello was fleeing a 22-year prison sentence?
· What is the nature of the relationship between these individuals and the governing party?

President Ali’s Ramadan Meeting Raises Further Questions
Compounding these concerns, the GACN has confirmed that President Irfaan Ali (the GACN declines to use the informal title “Dr.” as it is irrelevant to matters of criminal justice) separately met with Brazilian nationals directly connected to Rodrigo Martins Mello during the holy month of Ramadan. While the government has sought to frame such engagements as routine diplomatic or business courtesies, the timing and secrecy surrounding these meetings—during a period meant for reflection and charity—suggest a deliberate effort to normalize relations with a convicted fugitive who should be subject to immediate extradition proceedings.

At the time of the November 28, 2023 meeting, Prime Minister Mark Phillips was performing the functions of President, yet chose to meet with a delegation that included a man now wanted in Brazil to serve a 22-year prison sentence for crimes against humanity and the environment. The government’s official framing of these encounters as discussions regarding “investment opportunities” is dangerously misleading. The GACN warns that these “investments” are a likely mechanism for laundering the proceeds of illegal mining and organized crime.

The GACN calls upon the following international stakeholders to take immediate notice and action:

1. To the International Community and Diplomatic Missions in Guyana: We urge embassies, high commissions, and international development partners to demand full transparency regarding the background checks conducted before Mello and his associates were granted entry and official meetings. We specifically call on the Embassies of the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the European Union to impose targeted visa restrictions on officials and their associates who have facilitated this illicit entry.
2. To the Government of the Federative Republic of Brazil: We request that Brazilian authorities formally escalate requests for mutual legal assistance and extradition. Guyana cannot be permitted to serve as a safe haven for a convicted fugitive seeking to evade Brazilian justice. Mello’s 22-year sentence must be served.
3. To International Financial Institutions and Regulatory Bodies: We alert the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) and the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units to the imminent risk that Guyana’s mining and infrastructure sectors are being exploited for money laundering. We demand a comprehensive audit of all mining concessions and land titles linked to Mello and his network.

The Guyana Anti-Corruption Network refuses to stand idle while the sanctity of our institutions is compromised. We call on President Irfaan Ali to immediately:

· Revoke any mining permits, land titles, or business registrations held by Rodrigo Martins Mello and his associates;
· Disclose the full agenda and participants of the Ramadan meeting involving his office and this convicted fugitive’s network; and
· Direct the Attorney General’s chambers to initiate immediate cooperation with Brazilian authorities for the extradition of Mello to serve his 22-year sentence.

We remind the government that the world is watching. Embracing a convicted fugitive while professing a commitment to transparency is a contradiction that will have severe consequences for Guyana’s international standing and its ability to attract legitimate foreign investment.

The Yanomami people have paid the price for Mello’s crimes with their health, their children, and their land. Guyana must not become his next victim.

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Guyana Anti-Corruption Network
Exposing Corruption, Defending Democracy
Georgetown, Guyana
http://www.guyanaintegrity.com