As the 2026 Belize municipal election cycle enters its pre-nomination phase, two unsubstantiated opposition-driven allegations have rocked the Belize City Council, prompting Deputy Mayor Eluide Miller to publicly reject the claims as politically motivated fiction designed to undermine the governing body’s work.
First to circulate across social media and opposition-aligned media outlets this week was a rumor of a violent physical altercation between Miller and long-serving sitting councilor Allan Pollard, framed as evidence of deep internal division within the council. Miller pushed back on the claim forcefully in a public address on May 21, 2026, labeling the story a baseless piece of political noise from the annual pre-election “silly season”.
“There was absolutely no fist fight. So I want to debunk that statement off the top,” Miller stated. He emphasized that he and Pollard maintain a professional, mutually respectful working relationship, and pushed back on attempts to paint the council as fractured. Miller noted that the current body is widely recognized, both among members and external observers, as the most cohesive Belize City Council to serve over the past ten years. “We remain extremely united. I have the support of my colleagues, and we are completely focused on delivering on the policy and infrastructure commitments we set out at the start of this term,” he added.
A second, more serious allegation that emerged in days prior claimed $70,000 in municipal funds had gone missing, with the council supposedly covering up the discrepancy to avoid accountability. Miller dismissed this narrative as outright defamation, emphasizing that strict multi-layered financial oversight protocols have confirmed the council’s books are fully balanced with no missing funds.
Miller outlined the full set of checks and balances the council adheres to, including a recently completed annual Board of Survey held in April 2026, a mandatory annual financial review conducted by the Ministry of Local Government following the close of the 2024-2025 fiscal year, a full-time internal audit team embedded within the municipal government, and ongoing external audits required for the council’s municipal securities program. “If there was any misallocation or missing funds, one of these oversight mechanisms would have flagged it immediately,” Miller explained. “These claims are nothing more than intentional distraction meant to bring the Belize City Council into disrepute at a time when we are focused on delivering for residents.”
The deputy mayor confirmed that the council has already begun consulting legal counsel to address the false missing funds rumor, and did not rule out formal legal action against those spreading the claims. He directly tied the two allegations to the heightened pre-election political environment, noting that opposition groups often resort to unfounded attacks as nomination periods approach. “They tend to get extremely creative this time of year, right?” he noted.
Beyond addressing the opposition claims, Miller also commented on growing speculation surrounding the upcoming People’s United Party (PUP) mayoral nomination race, where City Administrator Dr. Candice Pitts has emerged as a potential contender. Unlike other rumored candidates including Miller and Pollard, who are unsalaried elected council members, Pitts is a full-time salaried municipal employee. Under existing municipal regulations, if Pitts formally enters the race, she will be required to resign from her current post before launching her campaign.
Miller noted that Pitts has not yet confirmed her candidacy to council members, but reaffirmed that she, like any other PUP member and Belize City resident, has the full right to participate in the nomination process if she chooses. “If she makes the decision to run, the council will deliberate on the employment matter in line with our existing regulations and governing act,” Miller said. “We will cross that bridge when we get there.”
When contacted for comment Wednesday evening, Pitts declined to confirm or deny her candidacy, saying her full attention remains on her current duties as City Administrator. “Any future political decisions will be considered carefully and announced at the appropriate time,” she said. The nomination window for PUP municipal election candidates opens June 1 and closes June 19, 2026. Notably, Belize City has only ever had one female mayor in its history, so a formal entry by Pitts would shift the dynamic of the already competitive mayoral race.