Belmopan Mayor Accused of Nepotism and Discord with Councilors

Palacio has been accused, by her own councilors, of using the council’s money to hire several family members including her son and her brother.  She has also been accused of excluding her councilors from major decisions, and for not holding regular caucus meetings for the council.  In the PUP convention held in Belmopan last month, several of the current serving councilors had run but were not voted to contest the 2024 elections.  Mayor Palacio stated in the interview that she was happy to hear that her councilors had lost.

Sheran “Sharon” Palacio, Mayor of Belmopan: “I definitely didn’t want any of them to win and when I saw that one of them won I know exactly what happened there and I won’t speak on camera but I’m pleased that these councilors they’ve been an obstruction to development. We have a few months remaining. At this time I don’t care whatever they want to do with themselves I will continue calling my meetings and once they want to participate they’re elected officials but I will not bow down to them, never because as far as I’m concerned I am the leader, they’ve disrespected me a 100%  the entire country knows but City Council will function with or without them. The area rep was hell bent that his candidate would have won, Mr.Cano, and it doesn’t work like that and had I contested Cano would have won anyhow and then second and third would have been between Cawich and I but me stepping down made Cawich win and they can deny that or not but definitely my stepping down catapulted Cawich to be the victor. And as you can see, you were out there I was not here I was in Panama, my people were there. You could have counted them. They were there.”

Palacio was an educator prior to entering the political arena.  Her term ends in March 2024.