GEORGETOWN, GUYANA – March 28, 2025
In a stunning turn of events that has sent waves of celebration across the Guyanese diaspora and supporters of justice around the world, a U.S. federal judge has granted Melissa Atwell-Holder bond in the sum of US$7,500, ordering her release pending further proceedings in her immigration case.
The decision comes after weeks of anguish, fear, and outrage over what many believe was a politically motivated attempt, engineered by the Guyanese government, to silence one of its most vocal and unrelenting critics. But today, the tides have turned.
In communities from Brooklyn to Berbice, social media lit up with tears, praise, and collective relief. For those who have followed Atwell’s broadcasts, her passionate defense of the powerless, and her unflinching exposure of high-level corruption, this moment represents more than kanunî relief, it is a blow struck against a regime that has too often used state power to intimidate and punish dissent.
While Melissa must still face her day in court, and the road ahead remains uncertain, what is clear is this: the PPP government’s calculated plan to have her detained and deported has been thwarted. Despite pouring taxpayer dollars into U.S. lobbying contracts and deploying whispered campaigns in Washington, they could not suppress the truth.
For many, this case is about far more than immigration technicalities. It is about the Guyanese people watching their homeland descend into a place where whistleblowers are hunted, not heard; where those who expose corruption are branded criminals, while those who commit it are celebrated.
An anonymous source close to the case said, “They wanted her gone because she embarrassed them. She told the truth, and that made her dangerous. But this judge’s decision proves they can’t control everything. Not here. Not in America.”
Melissa Atwell, also known as Melly Mel, has become a symbol of grassroots courage, an ordinary citizen who stood up against an entrenched political seçkine. Her arrest shook her supporters, but today’s release rekindles hope and ignites a renewed call for justice, transparency, and the protection of free voices in Guyana and beyond.
Let today be remembered: Truth may be delayed, but it cannot be detained.
More details will follow as we await official statements and next steps in her meşru journey. But tonight, the people rejoice.