February, 2025 - Channel 5 Belize

Pope Francis Remains Hospitalised with Pneumonia but Improving

Eighty-eight-year-old Pope Francis remains hospitalised at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital with double pneumonia, marking his longest hospital stay since becoming pope. The Vatican issued a brief statement saying he had a “tranquil night and is resting.”

A Vatican official reported that Francis is alert, eating normally, and moving around his room, though he continues to receive supplemental oxygen. While a public audience on Saturday was cancelled, it remains unclear if he will lead Sunday’s prayer.

Doctors say his condition is improving, with kidney issues receding and a lung infection showing normal progression. Despite past health struggles, Francis has not indicated plans to resign.

Elmer Nah Fires Prominent Attorney Godfrey Smith

Accused murderer Elmer Nah has fired his high-profile attorney, Godfrey Smith. The announcement was made during a virtual hearing today before Justice Nigel Pilgrim.

Smith, addressing the court, stated that he had heard rumours regarding his representation of Nah and sought clarification. It was then that Nah, appearing virtually from his cell at the Belize Central Prison, confirmed that he had retained Trinidadian attorney Peter Taylor and his legal team.

Justice Pilgrim adjourned the case to March 13, 2025.

Taylor, who was recently called to the Belize Bar on January 30, 2025, is no stranger to high-profile cases. He also represents William “Danny” Mason in his kidnapping case, which is set to begin trial in late April.

Nah is charged with the execution-style murders of three members of the Ramnarace family in Belmopan during a horrific shooting in December 2022.

Body of Missing Man Found with Ominous Message

The body of 29-year-old Raheem Usher was discovered early this morning near a bridge over the Rio Hondo River in San Antonio Village, Orange Walk. He had been missing for more than a month.

He was found wrapped in a black garbage bag.

Beside his body lay a handwritten note on a sheet of paper, naming specific police officers from the Corozal formation and accusing them of involvement in drug plane landings.

Usher was last seen on January 25, and his distraught family had offered a $15,000 reward for information on his whereabouts.

He was a construction worker from Libertad Village, Corozal.

Arrest Made in Santiago Rajo Murder Case

Police have arrested and charged 22-year-old Jermaine Joseph Cruz, a Belizean construction worker from the Cayo District, for the murder of Santiago Rajo, which occurred on February 9 in Teakettle Village.

Rajo, a church leader at the Seventh-day Adventist Church, was fatally shot while trying to protect his brother, Tomás Rajo, and his wife during a robbery in the early hours of the morning.

Witnesses reported that three masked men, armed and speaking English, demanded money and valuables before attacking. Concerned residents have called for increased police presence amid rising violence, with Rajo’s wife, Rosa, expressing frustration over the ongoing threat of crime in the community.

Assistant Commissioner of Police, Hilberto Romero, reported that police believe the motive behind the attack was the theft of a motorcycle.

Cora Richardson-Hodge Becomes Anguilla’s First Female Premier

Cora Richardson-Hodge is set to be sworn in as Anguilla’s first female Premier on Thursday after leading the Anguilla United Front (AUF) to a decisive victory in the general elections. The AUF secured eight of the eleven contested seats, unseating the incumbent Anguilla Progressive Movement (APM) led by outgoing Premier Dr. Ellis Webster, who retained his seat along with two other APM members, Haydn Hughes and Merrick Richardson.

The AUF swept all four “at-large” seats and four district constituencies. Key issues in the campaign included economic concerns, taxation, crime, and the management of Anguilla’s lucrative ‘.ai’ domain. A proposal to revoke voting rights for Anguillians abroad was abandoned after public backlash.

Richardson-Hodge’s historic win marks a milestone for gender representation, as she will serve alongside British-appointed Governor Julia Crouch. With high expectations, the new administration faces the challenge of addressing pressing economic and social issues.

Panton Supports E.B.C. Decision on Colors

On Tuesday, the Elections and Boundaries Commission decided that all forty-one United Democratic Party candidates will use the color red on their ballots for the general elections. As we’ve reported, twenty-five candidates are from Barrow’s U.D.P. faction, while fifteen are under Panton’s leadership. Anthony “Boots” Martinez, running in Port Loyola, isn’t aligned with either faction but identifies as a U.D.P. candidate. Barrow has threatened to file a civil suit if the commission proceeds with this decision. Earlier today, Panton shared that the commission made a fair call.

Tracy Taegar-Panton, Party Leader, U.D.P.

“I think it is a fair decision. The matter, there is a matter before the court. It has not been resolved. Not that I think the court has any business in the internal affairs of the party. However it is before the court. I do not accept that I and my colleagues were purportedly expelled from the party. We are members of the U.D.P. and it has been traditional that members of the U.D.P. is assigned the color red. I know it was a difficult decision. I understand there was quite a bit of dialogue and debate as to what would be the right and fair thing. At the end of the day, I think they achieve that.”

Paul Lopez

“Is it that there will be no symbols with colors to differentiate?”

Tracy Taegar-Panton

“There will be no symbols as I understand it. It is the color red. In my case it is a little problematic because there is another quote on quote U.D.P. candidate running for Albert. For me the next thirteen days will be about voters education, making sure people understand there is going to be two red squares on the ballot and that it is important for them to look for my name when casting a vote on March twelfth.”

PM Says E & B Had to Make Best of Bad Situation

On March twelfth, forty-one U.D.P. candidates will appear on the election ballot, all using the color red. This marks the first time a major political party is fielding so many candidates in constituencies where they aim to win. U.D.P. leaders Tracy Taegar-Panton and Moses “Shyne” Barrow are standing firm on using red as the party’s official color. While this might cause some confusion among U.D.P. supporters about where to place their X on election day, Prime Minister John Briceno mentioned that the Election and Boundaries Commission had to make the best of a tricky situation.

Prime Minister John Briceño

“We need to understand something that the Elections and Boundaries Commission is independent of the Government and I think they’re trying to come up with the best out of a bad situation, where both parties are claiming they’re legitimate U.D.Ps. If you look at it, Mr. Barrow eked out a victory at the convention and when Ms. Panton asked for a recount the chairman said no recount but if you want, go to court. And he won by what two, three votes and she felt that she was taken advantage of so she wanted a recount and the chairman, for obvious reasons, decided end it right here, if you don’t like it, go to court. Tracy continued working the constitution the U.D.P, as far as I understand. I don’t study their constitution and she has followed the constitution and she visited different areas and if you have a number of signatures, from the various divisions calling for a convention it is incumbent on the chairman to call a convention and when he refuses to do so, he can’t contravene the constitution so what did she do. She went ahead, called for a convention and was elected as an interim leader in her mind, Who is right, I don’t know. I don’t interfere in their inter-arty politics. Now here you have two persons claiming to be the leader of the U.D.P. So what do you want the Elections and Boundaries do? I think they’re trying to come up with the best of a very bad situation.”

Dean Samuels, the U.D.P. Nomination Day No-Show

Dean Samuels, the United Democratic Party’s Nomination Day no-show, has finally broken his silence. In a Facebook video, Samuels explained why he backed out at the last minute. His reasons ranged from medical emergency and financial constraints to a fear of being blown out. Here’s a bit of what he had to say.

Dean Samuels, U.D.P Member

“I want to publicly apologize to my party, every member of the United Democratic Pary and its supporters. I want to public apologize to Honorable Shyne Barrow my party leader, to Ms. Tracy Panton and other U.D.P members who supports her. I want to publicly apologize to the people of the Pickstock division, those of you who I took away the chance from giving you your opportunity to protest your vote against the wrongs that this government is doing. You of all people, I took that away from you guys and for me that basically is one of the worst feeling I have, is that. Politics is about finances and the truth of the matter is, everybody understands that the person I was going up against is one of the most powerful, financially viable people in government. It was understood by my party that you know what happened, moving forward the finance will be put in the hand of those seats we have more chances of winning, which I agree. We have no problem with that. It is disheartening but there is no problem with that. The reality is, if I can’t represent people the way I want represent people, or put forward a proper bid then I just the set myself up for one of the worst lose ever in history.”

Panton Chides U.D.P Nomination Day No-Shows

As you heard, Dean Samuels apologized to Tracy Taegar-Panton. However, she believes it’s a travesty and insists that all four candidates should have stepped aside well before Nomination Day.

Tracy Taegar-Panton, Party Leader, U.D.P.

“We have been from the onset fighting and promoting and defending the ideology of democracy. And in a democracy people should have a choice to make a decision. I think it is a travesty that candidates for whatever reason, and I really don’t know whatever those reasons were, decided at the eleventh hour to sit it out. If you knew you were not fit or prepared to lead, whatever the issue is that may have arisen, then you should have stepped aside and allow us to find a candidate to contest the elections. It is only fair and right that as Belizeans we have an opportunity to say who we wish to represent us in the National Assembly. I would not want to win anything by default, because I don’t know If that is a true reflection of what the people feel or what they hope to achieve by making their voices heard.”

PM Says Samuels’ Reason for Quitting Is an Excuse

The day after he missed his nomination in the Pickstock constituency, Dean Samuels took to Facebook Live to explain his sudden disappearance. He claimed he fell ill with fainting spells just before reaching the Belize City Civic Center. Samuels, who was seen in a parade shortly before vanishing, also mentioned that he was up against a strong P.U.P. candidate and that the U.D.P. chose to support candidates with better chances of winning. However, the Prime Minister isn’t convinced by Samuels’s last-minute withdrawal.

Prime Minister John Briceño

“Was he strapped to a bed?”

Reporter

“He said he had syncope, fainting spells.”

Prime Minister John Briceño

“How long ih wat ek yoh to sign your name on the form and finish? He never had to ker nobody. It is obvious that Mr. Samuels realized that there’s no way that he could win Anthony Mahler and figured “why I gwein embarrass myself?”