Hugo Patt Sole Red Victor in Corozal Constituencies

There are four constituencies in the Corozal District: Corozal Bay, North, Southeast, and Southwest. On Wednesday, ten candidates went head-to-head at the polls to see who would represent the people in these areas. After counting over twenty thousand ballots, the P.U.P. came out on top with three winners: Thea Garcia Ramirez in Corozal Bay, Florencio Marin in Corozal Northeast, and Ramiro Ramirez in Corozal Northwest. Amid this sea of blue, Hugo Patt stands as the lone red winner, holding onto his seat in Corozal North. News Five’s Britney Gordon has the details.

 

Selwyn Fuller, Returning Officer, Corozal Bay

“I hereby declare that the duly elected candidate for the Corozal Bay  is Garcia-Ramirez Thea.”

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

The Corozal Bay constituency election results were highly anticipated by residents as three contenders battled at the polls. Vying for the post were Thea Garcia-Ramirez, UDP’s Hernan Riverol, and independent candidate Elvia Vega-Samos. Following the death of David Vega, his sister succeeded him after winning a by-election. Vega-Samos would later lose the post of PUP standard bearer to Garcia-Ramirez after a controversial standard bearer convention. Despite this, Vega-Samos was not deterred from the polls and ran as an independent candidate.

 

Elvia Vega-Samos, Independent Candidate, Corozal Bay

“If you passed by the seaside, you know, the lights are, there are no lights. And actually that was a project that I had to do, but funds were not released for that. But as an independent candidate, these funds have to be released. And there is so much that can be done.”

 

Vega-Samos received one thousand, one hundred and sixty votes, an impressive feat for an independent candidate. However, it was more than doubled by Thea Garcia-Ramirez, who accumulated three thousand, one hundred and twenty-two votes. UDP candidate, Hernan Riveral received three hundred and ninety-four votes.

 

Thea Garcia-Ramirez, Area Representative, Corozal Bay

“Thank you very

much, Corozal Bay. Thank you very much to my team. Thank you to every voter that came out, even if you didn’t vote for P.U.P. You came out. Thank you very much. We have democracy here. We respect the will of the people. And now it’s time to get to work.”

 

A similarly intense race went down in Corozal North with PUP candidate David Castillo garnering two thousand, three hundred and eighty-five votes. However, the constituency remains a UDP stronghold after Hugo Patt won with three thousand, four hundred and ninety-seven votes.

 

David Castillo, P.U.P. Candidate, Corozal North

“ I think it’s obvious, the feeling, the national feeling, the Peoples United Party will win strong once more,  throughout the country, but is important that Corozal North  elect a PUP era representative  to work with the central go a PUP central government for the benefit of the area. I think the villagers, the voters are testimony to the lack of,development in the area for the past years. But there is hope with David Castio and the People’s United Party.”

 

Corozal Southeast saw only two candidates on the ballot sheet; Florencio Marin, who accomplished a landslide victory with three thousand, six hundred eighty-three votes over UDP candidate Antonio Herrera’s one thousand, seven hundred and fifty-five votes. Over in Corozal Southwest, a closer match ensued between the candidates Ramiro Ramirez and Martin Rivera. After all, four thousand, four hundred and seventy-five votes, Ramirez emerged victorious with a six hundred eight-one vote lead.

 

Ramiro Ramirez, Area Representative, Corozal Southwest

“ I believe in God, and I know that will happen because of the good job that we’re doing. I think the people really want something else, and I can put it this way. There are many politicians that have already passed through Corozal Southwest. I strongly believe that they really appreciate and they will support me. I know have no fear.  I know we’re going to win.”

 

Britney Gordon for News Five.