St. Vincent and the Grenadines welcomed a new prime minister for the first time in 24 years after preliminary election results showed a victory by Godwin Friday of the New Democratic Party.

Friday was sworn in at a ceremony pledging allegiance to the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, to respect the role of the Prime Minister and the cabinet that will aid him during his time in office.

Hundreds of supporters clad in yellow and blue gathered Friday in the capital, Kingstown, to support the new prime minister. Some crowded over a coffin assembled from cardboard and covered in campaign posters from Gonsalves' party as they blew vuvuzelas over it.

Friday beat Ralph Gonsalves of the Unity Labor Party.

Gonsalves was first elected in March 2001, making him one of the world’s longest-serving democratic leaders in recent history. He was a staunch supporter of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel.

Gonsalves’ party posted a brief statement on Facebook following Thursday’s election: “We love you, SVG, and we will keep working and advocating for you. This is not the end, it is the beginning.”

Under Gonsalves, St. Vincent and the Grenadines signed a free movement deal last month that would make it easier for its citizens to move to certain countries in the Caribbean without needing a visa or work permit.

Gonsalves also helped organize an emergency meeting between the leaders of Venezuela and Guyana, who arrived in St. Vincent in December 2023 to address a bitter border dispute.