Prime Minister Briceno Rules Out Early Elections

Amid the turmoil in the opposition, many have questioned whether the Briceno Administration will call early elections. In recent weeks, the United Democratic Party has seen tremendous infighting between Shyne Barrow loyalists and Tracy Panton’s supporters. Many political experts say the opposition’s current state could lead the People’s United Party-led government to call a snap general election. But, according to Prime Minister John Briceno, while it is tempting, his party will complete its full term in office.

John Briceño, Prim Minister of Belize: “If I wasn’t too sure that we wouldn’t win obviously I was going to call the elections. But we have the confidence in you just like how you have confidence in us that we are going to continue working every single day, expanding NHI, giving our more land, giving out more scholarships, creating more jobs, creating a better Belize, fighting crime and having a Belize that we can say this is the Belize that we love and that we can leave a Belize for our children that is better than what we have today. And I know that elections are coming up. Guys it’s only three years and nine months and yes we are tempted to call elections right now because the UDP they are fighting with one another but we had our difference when we were in opposition but I could tell you that nobody threw tamales in my face. Nobody told me that they wanted to kill me. Nobody told me that they wanted to beat me. Nobody brought no group of signatures and told me to get out. Because see we would talk about issues. We would talk ideas and that’s what we would argue about. I wish Julius was here today because he is one of them that gets very passionate when we start to talk abut housing and why is it that we have to do more. And we have never hated one another within the PUP because we recognize that we’re here to serve. We’re here for the people. So we could let them continue fighting and yes we could call the elections now and yes quite likely as you said you never take the people for granted but quite likely we are going to win. But we don’t just want to win to win elections, we are here to serve you. We’re here to work or you. There’s so much more work that we have to do under Plan Belize.”

While the Prime Minister has assured his party there will be no early elections, the opposition says it is sleeping with one eye open. Today, the UDP’s newest standard bearer Raul Vasquez called for the opposition to unite to prevent a blow out if elections are called early.

Ramon Vasquez, UDP Standard Bearer, Belize Rural South: “The elections can be called at any time under the constitution. It is the prerogative of the Prime Minister as he so desires and it takes thirty days but most Prime Ministers give you forty days, but generally they say forty so I give you enough warning that I’m coming for you. It’s just like Jesus reappearing, gives us enough time. He says he wants you to put your house in order, this is the time for us to put our house in order. Elections can be called any time. When I mean any time but the signs, just like Jesus says there are going to be signs of my return, there are signs of politics. So don’t be listening to March. When you see the movement happening just like earthquakes and so on then you realize the time is coming and there could be a snap election so let’s prepare let’s be ready. It could be this year nobody will tell you “Oh it’s this year.” They will say next year, they will throw you off guard. You have to be sharper than that and I learned this as a I grew and I became much older.”

General elections are slated for November 2025 but can be legally extended up to early 2026 or can be called earlier.