As the 2026 Belize City municipal election cycle gains momentum, the People’s United Party (PUP) race for the mayoral nomination remains fiercely undecided, even after incumbent Mayor Bernard Wagner publicly threw his support behind his son-in-law, current Deputy Mayor Eluide Miller.
Wagner has publicly praised Miller’s strong work ethic and aligned values, framing him as a capable candidate to take the helm of Belize City Hall in the next term. However, the public endorsement has sparked internal division within the party, mobilizing support for the other declared contender, former Deputy Mayor Allan Pollard Jr. Among Pollard’s backers, the endorsement has drawn debate over whether party leadership’s preference could overshadow the democratic convention process.
Despite his public backing of Miller, Wagner has moved to clarify that the final decision will rest entirely with PUP delegates, not the endorsement from sitting leadership. Speaking to reporters, Wagner emphasized that both Miller and Pollard are qualified, strong candidates, and the formal party convention mechanism will produce the eventual nominee.
“I leave it up to the mechanism that is in place, the party mechanism,” Wagner stated in a recent televised interview. “It was made [clear] that more than likely there will be a convention. And so the delegates will speak as to who they want to represent the PUP, because remember that is just for the PUP side. You still have the opposition side, and that is the real test, when you go up against the opposition. So I’m pretty confident in the mechanism that the party has in place to see that we have the right person at the helm to lead the party and the city.”
Across the aisle, the opposing United Democratic Party (UDP) has not yet finalized its own mayoral candidate for Belize City. Two contenders have already entered the race for the UDP nomination: businessman and frequent political commentator Damian Gough, and defense attorney Jacquelyn Willoughby. The pair is currently positioned to face off for the chance to lead UDP’s municipal candidate slate in the upcoming election.
This report is a transcript of a televised evening newscast, with all Creole-language statements transcribed using a standardized spelling system for accessibility.