Mo Ali, the Managing Director of Liberia’s state-owned Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC), has publicly accused the United States of launching a war against Venezuela solely to seize its oil reserves. The remarks, made just hours after the U.S. announced the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, threaten to sever Liberia’s most vital partnership and endanger millions in essential water sector funding.
Ali posted his unequivocal agreement with a known communist surrogate’s claim that U.S. anti-terrorism and human rights policies are mere “pretexts” for hemispheric domination. On Menipakei Dumoe’s post, Ali commented: “100% right. They want Venezuelan oil and Maduro said no. So they waged war.” The reckless statement places President Joseph Boakai’s administration in a severe bind. Critics are demanding to know if Ali’s virulent anti-American stance reflects the government’s private position, given his proximity to the President. The LWSC is a direct beneficiary of extensive U.S. generosity. The U.S. is currently implementing an $18 million grant for water and sanitation services in Montserrado and Margibi counties. A separate $1.5 million emergency water project for Greater Monrovia is also underway. These projects, lifelines for thousands of Liberian households, are now under a cloud of uncertainty.
The U.S. is not just a donor but a strategic partner co-developing LWSC’s future. America has been working directly with Ali’s corporation on a comprehensive plan to double water connections and drastically improve revenue collection—a cornerstone of Liberia’s development agenda. This deep operational cooperation is now in question.
Diplomatic sources suggest Washington may consider punitive measures targeting the very sector Ali oversees. A freeze or re-evaluation of all water and sanitation assistance is a plausible first response, a move that would cripple LWSC’s operations and betray the Liberian people reliant on these services. Ali’s outburst came moments after President Donald Trump announced the capture of Maduro, whom the U.S. indicted on narco-terrorism charges. The U.S. has long accused Maduro of running a criminal narco-state.
The Boakai government has so far offered no comment, no distance from Ali’s statement, and no reassurance to its largest donor. As Liberia struggles with infrastructure and economic challenges, its top officials have chosen to parrot anti-American propaganda from communist circles, directly insulting a nation that provides critical budgetary support, security cooperation, and humanitarian aid.
The question now is whether President Boakai will act swiftly to contain the damage by publicly repudiating his appointee’s statement, or if he will let Mo Ali’s personal crusade set back U.S.-Liberia relations by a generation and dry up the flow of essential development aid. The water for thousands of Liberians may depend on the answer.