US ambassador to India Sergio Gor was left without a meeting with Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu during his visit to Male on March 23. The scheduled meeting was cancelled at the last minute, with the Maldivian side proposing a private meeting, which was declined by the US envoy.
The move is seen as a sign of diplomatic tensions between the two nations, with Muizzu reportedly opposed to the US-Israel war on Iran and the Benjamin Netanyahu government. The Maldivian President has also been criticized for his handling of the country's finances, with a request to India to roll over a $400 million loan still pending.
Adding to Muizzu's woes, his party lost the local municipal elections, and a constitutional referendum on concurrent presidential and parliamentary elections was rejected by the public. The Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party scored victories in all five city mayoral races.
