Washington D.C. — U.S. Presidential aspirant Rollan Roberts condemned the recent sanctions imposed by the United States on Liberian officials, particularly Finance Minister Samuel Tweah. The sanctions, which include a lifetime ban on travel to the U.S. and the use of the U.S. financial banking system, were met with strong opposition from Roberts, who accused the U.S. of perpetuating a cycle of systemic and institutional corruption.
Roberts criticized the grounds for the sanctions, highlighting that Tweah's alleged favoritism towards the Liberian company, ArcelorMittal Limited (AML), over the American company, High Power Exploration, Inc. (HPX), led to the punitive measures. He argued that punishing officials for prioritizing national interests over foreign enterprises sets a dangerous precedent and undermines the sovereignty of nations.
The presidential hopeful went on to express solidarity with outraged members of the Liberian-American community who, in response to the sanctions, are considering renouncing their U.S. citizenship. According to Roberts, these individuals feel embarrassed by what they perceive as unwarranted interference in Liberia's internal affairs.
"My office was contacted by angry Liberian-Americans that hold dual citizenship ready to renounce their hard-earned U.S. citizenship over the blatant corruption and greed displayed by these unwarranted sanctions. They are embarrassed to be Americans on this day," he stated.
Roberts asserted that in the contemporary global landscape, such measures are no longer effective tools of diplomacy. He pointed out the diminishing power of the U.S. dollar and the growing influence of other currencies and alliances, including BRICS, which he believes erode the impact of sanctions and drive business away from the United States.
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"There is no perfect country. There is no country where corruption does not exist. What makes America different is that she's the world leader and has been held up as the gold standard, the Christian nation, the beacon of hope and a better tomorrow for the rest of the world. But American corruption is no longer a single random act; rather, it is engrained into the Administrative State's protocol as a matter of standard procedure," he stated.
The presidential candidate passionately pledged to prioritize American interests, vowing to favor domestic companies and investments in U.S. enterprises. He criticized what he described as a culture of corruption engrained in the U.S. administrative state, contrasting it with the image of America as a beacon of hope and a global leader.
Roberts promised to lift many existing sanctions if elected president, advocating for a departure from what he sees as an antiquated and ineffective wielding of power for world dominance.
