Category: Politics

On Wednesday, thousands of Belizeans will head to the polls and cast their vote. With 90 candidates vying for 31 seats, the outcome of those choices will determine who will take office for the next five years.

This year’s election is historic for many reasons, but one that stands out the most is the internal divisions within the United Democratic Party (UDP). The ongoing tug-of-war between Tracy Panton and Moses “Shyne” Barrow has led to the haemorrhaging fracture of the party, with both claiming to be the rightful leader. A dispute that failed to meet a resolution by the time nomination day came. This led to the Election and Boundaries Commission resorting to recognising all 41 candidates running under the banner and allocating the traditional red to all 41 candidates.

This unprecedented situation means that, for the first time in Belize’s history, voters in certain constituencies will see multiple UDP candidates vying for their vote, all under the same traditional red banner.

The UDP is one of the 6 political bodies coming out on March 12. There’s also the People’s United Party (PUP) with 31 candidates, the Belizean Justice Movement (BJM) with 7 candidates, and the General Opportunity Development Party (GODP) with 1 candidate. The People’s National Party (PNP) is bringing 2 candidates, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) 4 candidates, and finally 4 candidates running as independents.

Here’s a breakdown of the top 10 constituencies you’ll want to keep an eye on for March 12 and why:

ALBERT:

The Albert constituency in Belize City will see a highly contested race with four candidates: PUP’s Kaya Cattouse, PDM’s Cornelio Galvez, and two UDP candidates, Jose Espat and the incumbent Tracy Panton. Panton has held the seat since 2015, after taking over from Herman Longsworth of the UDP. She is now seeking a third term, having won her second term by a narrow margin of just 41 votes. In the 2020 election, she received 1,271 votes, while her opponent, PUP’s Paul Thomson, was right behind her with 1,230 votes.

This time around, though, Panton will be facing Espat under the UDP banner.

Meanwhile, tensions between PUP’s Kaya Cattouse and Panton spiked a couple of weeks back after Cattouse fired off a bold statement. During a PUP campaign in Independence Village, Stann Creek, Cattouse confidently stated, “Because the PUP will win across the north, the south, the west, and in Belize District. We will win, Albert, and do you know why? Because Tracy time has come, and Tracy time is done.” It was her follow-up comment that raised eyebrows. Cattouse added, “Because mek we be real, she can’t keep up with me—nuh pan the bike, worse on the campaign trail—and nuh mek we talk bout we ina the mirror.” Panton condemned the remarks as “body shaming” and labelled them as “poor, poor taste.” Cattouse defended her comments, explaining they were taken out of context, stating, “This is a competition… And for anybody who took my comments to be other than that, definitely got my message wrong.” Cattouse called her statements an “introspection,” adding, “Take a book out of Michael Jackson’s page—The Man in the Mirror. When I look in the mirror, I see a young, fresh, new politician. One that no opponent can keep up with. And that is what I was referring to.”

Following the exchange, Prime Minister and Leader of the PUP John Briceño walked shoulder to shoulder with Cattouse in support during a campaign walk in the constituency. Meanwhile, Galvez and Espat have also been campaigning fiercely. Espat in particular has been very vocal about his intentions for his constituency under Moses “Shyne” Barrow’s leadership within the UDP.

PORT LOYOLA:

The race for Port Loyola’s seat in the upcoming March 12 elections is shaping up to be one of the most competitive and dynamic in Belize City. A total of five candidates are vying for the position, with three from the UDP: Dr. Nelma “Mortis” Jones, Philip Willoughby, and Anthony “Boots” Martinez.

The incumbent, Gilroy Usher of the PUP, seeks a second term, facing off against his son-in-law, Willoughby. In the 2020 election, Usher emerged victorious with a voting turnout of 2,106 votes. He led Willouhby by almost 800 votes.

The contest is marked by intense criticism and bold promises. Usher, who has touted his record on housing and land distribution, defended his work, stating, “We have built starter homes for the people… these houses cost the homeowners only twenty-five dollars a week.” However, his opponents argue his efforts have fallen short.

Willoughby, Usher’s son-in-law, decided to challenge him by branding the red banner in Tracy Panton’s slate. He vowed to address the area’s neglect if elected. He proposed transformative change, stating, “If I am the area representative—and I knew that my mother lived on the street, I would have probably fixed the street by now. It would have been the street of gold, like in the Wizard of Oz.”

Willoughby is not the only UDP candidate that criticised Usher and the Briceño administration. Though running under the same traditional red, Dr. Jones is a candidate in Barrow’s slate. She also criticised the sitting area representative Usher for having Port Loyola “neglected.” Meanwhile, PDM’s Tablada argued that residents suffer from a lack of land, with the poor receiving less favourable plots.

Then there is former four-term representative “Boots” Martinez, who is also seeking to reclaim Port Loyola. He claims that under his tenure, he built 40-50 homes in the area, a stark contrast to Usher’s record of just one house in five years. Martinez is a veteran UDP, calling himself UDP’s “original,” and is running independently of the two main leaders of the party. He is not forming part of Barrow’s or Panton’s slate. On nomination day, Martinez locked in his name as a stand-alone UDP candidate. This was despite his notable support for October 2024’s “unity convention,” where he stood firmly that Panton was now the interim leader of the UDP.

MESOPOTAMIA:

Mesopotamia is also another key constituency to keep an eye on in the upcoming March 12 elections. UDP’s incumbent candidate, Moses “Shyne” Barrow, is facing a fierce challenge from within his own party. Businessman Lee Mark Chang locked in his name on nomination day and entered the race as a UDP candidate under Tracy Panton’s leadership. This positioned Chang as a potential contender against Barrow. Also in the mix is PUP’s candidate Lawrence Ellis. 

Compared to this year’s election, Barrow only had to go up against one opponent, Dr. Candice Pitts in the 2020 election. That year, Barrow secured the seat with a total of 910 votes, while Pitts received 751 votes. 

In an interview in January 2025, Prime Minister John Briceño recognised the internal divisions within the UDP and acknowledged the potential for the PUP to capitalise on the situation. “Mesopotamia division has been voting UDP since 1974… it is still difficult,” Briceño said but expressed confidence in his candidate, Ellis.

Meanwhile, a key figure on this Mesop’s ballot is Chang, who has openly criticised Barrow, stating, “We need to remove the ‘cancer.’” He claims that many voters are disillusioned with unfulfilled promises and are flocking to Panton’s camp. “People are realising that they have been bamboozled,” Chang declared during a recent interview on Open Your Eyes.

Chang even facilitated the opening of a new headquarters for Panton’s UDP faction in the same Mesopotamia constituency. This headquarters was opened in January 2025, after Panton and her supporters demanded access to the UDP Headquarters on Youth for the Future Drive in Belize City.

With two UDP candidates and one of the PUP going head to head for the seat, this constituency is set to be an intense one. The ball for this one is in anyone’s court.

COLLET:

In the case for the Collet division, there are two candidates vying for the seat. Voters there will have to choose between the incumbent UDP candidate Patrick Faber and first-time runner Devin Daly from the PUP.

29-year-old Daly is rapidly positioning himself as the fresh face the constituency needs after getting endorsed by the PUP back in September 2024. Known for his athleticism and leadership on the basketball court, Daly is now applying those qualities to a political career. He argues that it’s time for new leadership and did not flinch at locking in his name on nomination day. “I’m young, fresh, and energetic. I have a lot to bring to the table,” he said in an interview in February.

Faber appears to be unfazed about the challenge Daly is bringing. He believes his extensive five-term track record gives him the edge—talk about strongholds! “People are telling me that they know the relationship we’ve shared for many years, and they have no intention of changing course,” Faber told News 5 in February. One of Faber’s best voting turnout was the 2020 election, where he secured a vote count of 1,834 compared to the 1,142 votes that his opponent Oscar Arnold of the PUP received. 

This time around, Faber is running as a UDP candidate under the Tracy Panton-led UDP.

Faber has maintained a hold on Collet since 2003, giving him 22 years as the division’s area representative. In those 20+ years, Faber has challenged four different PUP candidates, led the UDP to general elections in 2020, faced a domestic violence complaint, and been removed as Leader of the Opposition twice.

CAYO NORTH:

Over at Cayo North, voters will be seeing three candidates coming in strong for the constituency. These three candidates are the incumbent PUP candidate Michel “Micho” Chebat, UDP’s Omar Figueroa, and BJM’s Leroy “Lee” Lisbey.

The constituency has been closely contested between the red and blue parties in the past elections. On March 12, 2025, Figueroa will face Chebat for the third time. Figueroa won the seat in 2015 but lost to Chebat by over 700 votes in 2020, a sharp contrast from their 2015 race, where Chebat was right behind by just 150 votes.

The number of votes became a conversation after Figueroa accused incumbent Chebat of electoral fraud as he launched his “Bring Back Omar for Cayo North” campaign. For the past months, he raised concerns about 124 names on the voter list and claimed they don’t belong to the constituency. Despite a favourable court ruling, Figueroa said the names remained. He said in an interview in February that these voters “should go back to the constituencies where they came from.” Two days later, on February 19, the Elections and Boundaries Commission reaffirmed the integrity of the electoral process, confirming there has been no fraud and that all registration processes follow the law.

And while he battled this claim, Figueroa also faced hurdles within his own party. Initially backing Tracy Panton’s faction for UDP leadership, he suddenly switched to form part of Moses “Shyne” Barrow’s UDP slate. On February 20, when Panton unveiled her candidates, no candidate for Cayo North was revealed.

Meanwhile, Lisbey, a retired public officer, is joining the mix. He’s focused on running a grassroots, people-centred campaign and addressing the pressing needs of the local community. He has also criticised the Chebat as the current area representative, stating, “I am not like the two political parties running on broken, empty promises. I am walking the streets and hearing what people need. I will work for them on the basic things.”

CAYO CENTRAL:

The Cayo Central constituency will be a hotly contested battleground in the upcoming March 12 general election, with four candidates vying for the seat.

Incumbent Alex Balona of the PUP is hoping to secure a second consecutive term after defeating UDP’s Rene Montero in the 2020 election, ending his three-term reign. That year, Balona secured 3,434 votes, leaving behind Montero by 735 votes. After his defeat, Montero was charged with “wilful oppression” in 2023 for alleged misuse of public property during his tenure as Minister of Works. This allegation allegedly happened between 2016 and 2020 when he lost to Balona.

But Balona’s campaign has been under major scrutiny after two scandals stemmed from separate videos that went viral on social media. The first one involved him spitting at his UDP opponent during the 2020 election. Balona defended his actions during his appearance on the Open Your Eyes morning show, claiming that he was first assaulted with a phone. Just days after he had cleared up this drama, he was captured again in a separate video where he appears to be mocking a local journalist’s speech impediment during a campaign rally in San Antonio Village. Balona apologised through a video he posted on social media. He said, “I, Alex Balona, deeply regret what occurred on Thursday night at the public function. I sincerely apologise to everyone.” Balona added, “I want to extend my heartfelt apologies to all members of our community, especially to those who live with impairments or challenges, including Mr. Kent Pandy.”

Will these videos affect in any way his voting turnout on March 12 compared to his 2020 election numbers? 

Joining the race this year is also UDP’s Mark O’Brien, GODP’s Francisco Escobar, and BJM’s Roody Wade.

Meanwhile, BJM’s Roody Wade is leading 7 candidates in his slate and vying for Cayo Central. The BJM is one of the few third parties in the race, although third parties in Belize historically struggle at the polls. Wade said in February, “If we watch how these two-party systems govern our country for decades, they don’t want people to be empowered, so hopefully at some point the Belizean people will see a need for change.”

COROZAL BAY:

Going up in the northern part of Belize, in the serene constituency of Corozal Bay, there will be three candidates vying for the seat. Voters there will be choosing between PUP’s Thea Garcia-Ramirez, UDP’s Hernan Riverol, and former PUP candidate Elvia Vega-Samos.

In the 2020 election, the late David “Dido” Vega was elected to the seat for the PUP. He secured his victory with 2,402 votes, and ended the UDP’s hold for three terms under Pablo Marin. Marin was left behind with 1,994 votes. 

Following Vega’s passing, his sister, Vega-Samos, was elected in a by-election to succeed her brother. Heading closer into the general election year, political tensions brought up attention to the internal drama unfolding within the PUP. 

A bitter feud that erupted in 2024 between PUP’s Garcia-Ramirez and Vega-Samos came down to a controversial standard bearer convention in July 2024. Garcia-Ramirez emerged victorious at that convention, defeating the incumbent representative, Vega-Samos. The aftermath and transition of leadership between the two women was short of amicable. The event was marred by allegations of electoral malpractice. Vega-Samos accused the party of manipulating the delegates’ list, claiming that some of her supporters were removed, and there was coercion to secure votes for Garcia-Ramirez. She also criticised the PUP’s handling of the convention, suggesting that she was denied a fair contest.

 

In response, the PUP Secretariat dismissed Vega-Samos’s claims as “baseless” and warned her against making unfounded public statements. The tension deepened when Vega-Samos was allegedly evicted from the constituency office she had been using, to which the prime minister, John Briceño, said, “That building belongs to the PUP, and so I want to leave it as that,” in an August 2024 interview.

On February 21, 2025, Vega-Samos took the bold step of announcing her candidacy as an independent candidate in the upcoming General Elections. In response, the PUP expelled her, citing the party’s constitution, which prohibits members from seeking public office outside of the party’s endorsement. Vega-Samos fired back the day after standing firm in her decision to run as an independent candidate for the constituency, stating, “I shall not be moved! I’m resolute, I’m determined, and I’m independent!!”

Joining the political tension in Corozal Bay is Hernan Riverol, the candidate for the UDP. His candidacy forms part of Tracy Panton’s slate, a decision that Moses “Shyne” Barrow referred to as a “betrayal” to his party. In February, Barrow publicly endorsed Vega-Samos and stated that Riverol “has no chances of winning.” According to Barrow, his decision to endorse Vega-Samos came so as to not “complicate things in that constituency.” Meanwhile, Prime Minister John Briceño said the same thing about Vega-Samos, “She knows she can’t win… If she is a good PUP as she claims to be, then she and her supporters will support the candidate of the PUP. That’s the oath that she took.”

Despite Barrow’s endorsement and growing tension, Garcia-Ramirez remains confident in her odds to secure the constituency. She dismissed Vega-Samo’s challenge, stating that it does not affect her campaign “at all.”

Will the Bay remain blue, go red, or go turquoise for the independent candidate?

COROZAL NORTH:

Coming in for a fourth win for the general election in 2025 is UDP’s incumbent candidate Hugo Patt. Challenging him for a second time is PUP’s David Castillo. BJM’s Condace Espedido is also joining the race. 

Over his last runs, Patt has managed to improve his voting turnout. His best number yet was reflected in the 2020 election, where he received 3,479 votes, defeating his opponent PUP’s Castillo by over 900 votes. Castillo secured 2,563 votes, while Alfonso Acosta of the BPF received 66 votes.

As deputy leader of the UDP, Patt has sided with Moses “Shyne” Barrow’s leadership. Though he had stated his disappointment over the UDP’s fractured state. During his appearance on the Open Your Eyes morning show, Patt acknowledged the turmoil that plagued the party, calling it a “very unfortunate” situation for the UDP.

Over in Tracy Panton’s UDP faction, there were no candidates nominated.

March 12 will be PUP’s Castillo’s third race against Patt. Both runs were decisive wins in favour of Patt. Entering the race for the first time is BJM’s Espedido.

BELMOPAN:

Over in the Belmopan division, voters will see three candidates vying for the seat. The race for the constituency will be between 2 UDP candidates against the incumbent PUP candidate Oscar Mira.

For Mira, securing a second term is crucial for Belmopan’s rapid growth. According to him, his team has focused on investing in the city’s infrastructure, education, and healthcare, and the “work in Belmopan must continue,” he said during an interview in February. Mira led the voting count against Saldivar in the 2020 election by large. He secured 4,172 votes, leaving Saldivar behind by 2,168 votes.

Mira will face John Saldivar for a second time on March 12. Saldivar has made it clear he’s coming to reclaim the seat after his 2020 defeat. Saldivar had held the seat for three consecutive terms before his defeat. On nomination day, Saldivar officially entered the race for a fifth time.

Saldivar’s return to the political scene has been clouded by controversy. In November 2022, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the public designation of Saldivar for significant corruption, which barred him and his family from entering the U.S. He was accused of accepting bribes for immigration documents and misusing public resources, allegations he denies as baseless and politically motivated.

The bribery scheme led to Saldivar’s loss of the UDP leadership. Despite these challenges, he has remained loyal to the UDP banner. Saldivar has been one of the key figures who has fully supported Tracy Panton in the UDP leadership dispute with Moses “Shyne” Barrow. After Barrow “constructively resigned” Saldivar and other supporters, Saldivar maintained his allegiance to the UDP. Saldivar will be running as a UDP candidate under Panton’s leadership.

Meanwhile, Ralston Frazer, named by Barrow as the UDP candidate for Belmopan, is focusing his campaign on addressing “a growing segregation in Belmopan.” He claims this has been an issue for some time now. Frazer is challenging both Mira and Saldivar in the race.

BELIZE RURAL CENTRAL:

Belize Rural Central will be one of the constituencies that will have a number of options on the March 12 ballot. There are five candidates vying for the constituency this year, including 2 UDP candidates.

The UDP candidates are David Almendarez and Beverly Williams. Almendarez is a candidate in Moses “Shyne” Barrow’s slate, and Williams is a candidate under Tracy Panton’s UDP faction. Williams is also the second deputy leader in Panton’s UDP faction.

Running for a fourth time is Balderamos-Garcia. She is seeking re-election to add to her 2020 victory when she defeated Williams with a voting turnout of 3,409 votes. Williams was left behind by 1,243 voting difference, securing 2,166 votes. Williams had represented the constituency for five years before suffering 2020’s major defeat.

Williams is also looking to make a comeback. She said her focus is on community development, including sports programs, cultural events, and youth outreach initiatives.

Meanwhile, David Almendarez is a newcomer to politics. He is running under the U.D.P. banner and represents a new generation of leadership. While Almendarez is new to politics, he confidently claimed that his approach would bring a much-needed change.

Also entering the race are PDM’s Estevan Perera and BJM’s Aaron Wilson.

Decision 2025: Show Out or Blowout

Channel 5 Belize is gearing up for comprehensive coverage of Belize’s general elections on March 12, 2025, with the theme “Decision 2025: Show Out or Blowout.” The programming will offer pre-election features, voter perspectives, expert commentary, and live updates during Election Day. Viewers can expect in-depth analysis of key issues like the economy, governance, and national security, as well as real-time election results and post-election breakdowns. Channel 5 promises to deliver the most trusted and engaging election coverage. Join us on Facebook and Youtube.