Automatic Wins Question Belize’s Democratic Integrity After Opposition Candidates Fail to Appear

The recent automatic victories for the People’s United Party in the Fort George and Pickstock divisions have led many to question if the country’s state of democracy is in peril. The historic win for the party came after the opposition’s candidates for both divisions were a no-show on Nomination Day. While the United Democratic Party has offered no official explanation for the men’s absence, Dean Samuels, the party’s initial Pickstock candidate, claims he couldn’t do so due to medical issues. A few hours later, he took to social media to say that his participation would not have been financially viable.  Meanwhile, Melvin Hewlett, who was to represent the UDP in Fort George, remains silent, prompting allegations from UDP Leader Shyne Barrow that he was paid off. The situation has led many to believe that the constituencies’ voters are being disenfranchised because they will not be going to the polls on March 12. It has also led to many in the public and senior politician, Julius Espat, to call for a stronger and more focused opposition that can hold the government accountable. Today, Prime Minister John Briceno was asked about the situation and whether he believes it a reflection of the country’s democratic state. 

John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “That it’s not a failure of democracy. That is democracy. People decide who they want, in this instance nobody felt that they wanted ….. they felt that quite likely feel that Anthony Mahler has been doing a great job so why will I go and try to challenge Anthony Mahler if he’s doing a good job ? Why will I try to challenge him if I believe that the people are supporting him. I’d be wasting my time, my effort and the little bit of resources. So it’s not a failure. It’s a true testament to the strength of the democratic process in Belize.”

Reporter: The Leader of the Opposition is alleging that you guys paid off his candidate to not show up. 

John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “I guess desperate statements during desperate times and trying to find an excuse. It is obvious that the person who was there felt that he doesn’t have a chance to win and they felt that Anthony by any measurements Anthony has been doing a tremendous job as the area representative in the Pickstock division. So why will you go against a person that you know what the result is going to be, that you’ll lose?”

Briceno also alluded to the current battle for leadership within the UDP as the reason for the opposition’s current position and laid blame on Shyne Barrow.

John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “If you look at it what the Leader of the Opposition is trying to do all he’s trying to do he’s thinking beyond this general election. He’s thinking about his election as leader of the party because after this election it is well known, after the general elections, that the UDP will have a national convention and it is important for him to field candidates just to field candidates knowing that they will not win but he wants to be able to do that so that they could control the delegates. So I don’t expect anything less from the Leader of the Opposition. We need to have a strong democracy but there comes a point sometimes that you have a very strong leader, a person that has been working for the people, delivering for the people so others will say why am I going to upset this ? Why am I going to put my name when I know that people are happy with him ? That is the democratic process. So Julius is not saying anything different from what I’ve just said.”

Briceno also questioned Samuel’s rationale stating that it would have not taken much time to be nominated.