On August 9, 2026, a closely contested internal party convention in Corozal Town delivered a decisive victory for three-term incumbent Rigoberto “Rigo” Vellos, who defeated political newcomer Shajerie Rogers to secure the People’s United Party (PUP) mayoral nomination for the 2027 municipal elections.
Over 3,400 registered Corozaleño voters participated in the high-stakes intra-party vote, a turnout that reflected intense local interest in the race for the PUP’s mayoral candidacy. As counting got underway, early indicators quickly showed Vellos holding a steady lead across most polling stations, a trend that held through the final tabulation.
Even before the official results were released, jubilant crowds of Vellos supporters took to celebrating, confident in their candidate’s lead. One long-time backer of the incumbent told local reporters that the final outcome proved Vellos’ broad grassroots support was strong enough that he never should have been forced to compete in an internal convention at all.
When the final votes were counted, PUP Chairman Henry Charles Usher officially announced the results: Vellos secured 1,799 votes, while Rogers earned 1,175 votes. Rather than framing the competitive race as a sign of division within the party, Usher praised the contest as a constructive development for the PUP, noting that having two engaged, willing candidates step forward to represent the party was a major success in itself.
The convention also drew a high-profile appearance from Corozal Bay Area Representative Thea Garcia-Ramirez, who cast her ballot amid ongoing speculation that she had privately thrown her support behind Rogers. In an on-the-record interview with local outlet News 5, Garcia-Ramirez pushed back on the swirling questions about her alignment. She emphasized that as the elected Area Representative, her core responsibility is to collaborate with whichever candidate the party’s voters choose, and that she will fully honor that obligation moving forward.
With the nomination now secured, Vellos will carry the PUP banner into next year’s municipal election, where he will launch his campaign to win a fourth consecutive term as mayor of Corozal Town, extending his tenure leading the coastal community.