The Muizzu government has taken no public action and issued no comment after a new tranche of documents released by the United States Department of Justice showed sustained contact between former president Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Waheed was appointed special envoy by President Mohamed Muizzu on 26 May 2025. The appointment has drawn renewed scrutiny following the United States government’s release of new Epstein-related records on 30 January 2026.
At the appointment meeting, President Muizzu described Waheed as a seasoned diplomat and urged him to use his experience to advance diplomatic interests and explore economic opportunities abroad. Waheed thanked the president and said his work would follow the president’s vision and direction.
Neither the government nor Waheed has commented publicly since the documents’ release.
The silence contrasts with reactions abroad. In the United Kingdom, senior politician Peter Mandelson resigned after renewed scrutiny of his past links to Epstein following the release of the documents, saying the move was needed to protect public trust. In Slovakia, a senior adviser to Prime Minister Robert Fico also stepped down after media reports showed connections to Epstein through travel and contact records. Slovak officials said the resignation was intended to safeguard the credibility of the government.
Anger has grown across social media, with critics accusing the Muizzu government of hypocrisy. Opponents say the government’s silence is at odds with its religious messaging and stated commitment to moral governance.
The documents show repeated communication between Waheed and Epstein beginning on 7 February 2012, the day Waheed assumed office after the forced resignation of former president Mohamed Nasheed. According to the files, Waheed contacted Epstein associates within hours, sought advice on media strategy and foreign access, and later discussed financing and political matters.
The correspondence continued after Waheed left office. Emails between the two include discussions on election strategy, state finances, development projects, and personal meetings in New York. The records do not show any criminal conduct by Waheed, but show Epstein acting as an adviser and intermediary years after his 2008 conviction.
The newly released documents are part of a wider disclosure under a US Congress transparency law passed in late 2025.
As public pressure grows, critics are calling on the Muizzu government to explain why Waheed has been kept in his post and respond to the revelations.