On August 10, 2026, allegations of illicit vote-buying overshadowed the People’s United Party (PUP) convention held in Corozal over the preceding Sunday, opening a debate over democratic integrity in internal party processes that operate outside the strict regulatory frameworks of general or municipal elections. Local outlet News Five received multiple anonymous claims that backers of Shajarie Rogers’ Team Rogers had been compensating voters at a private property near the convention site. When reporters visited the location to verify the accusations, they observed moderate foot traffic but observed no suspicious activity and did not witness any direct exchange of cash for votes. The accusations were quickly met with counter-claims from Team Rogers, who levied identical vote-buying allegations against the opposing slate led by Rigoberto Vellos, the incumbent Mayor of Corozal Town. While internal party contests are not bound by the same electoral oversight rules that govern official government elections, political observers note that any verified vote-buying in these contests still erodes the foundation of intra-party democracy and undermines public trust in party processes. In direct interviews with both faction leaders, reporters pressed each side to respond to the allegations against their teams. Incumbent Corozal Town Mayor Rigoberto Vellos, who ultimately claimed the convention win, confirmed that he had heard widespread rumors of opposing leaders distributing cash to sway voters, but denied any wrongdoing on his own part. “I do believe that certain leaders are giving out money. I have heard it. Some of us have seen it,” Vellos told reporters. When pressed directly on whether he had personally funded vote-buying operations, Vellos pushed back firmly: “I don’t have money sir. I don’t have money. My money will be spent on me and who I can help and of course I will dedicate myself to my community. I don’t need to pay people to win a convention or an election.” Shajarie Rogers, Vellos’ opponent and PUP mayoral aspirant for Corozal Town, similarly denied all claims of vote-buying linked to his campaign. When asked about the allegations, Rogers stated that his campaign had only worked with voters who chose to support them of their own free will, adding “We are working with who comes to vote for us honestly. So I wouldn’t know.” When reporters clarified to confirm that Team Rogers had not compensated any voters, Rogers replied definitively: “Absolutely not. As far as Team Rogers is concerned, we are not paying anyone.” Reporters also reached out to Thea Garcia-Ramirez, the Corozal Bay Area Representative, to ask about her activity on convention day and her perspective on the allegations. Garcia-Ramirez shared that she had spent the day resting at home to prepare for the coming week’s work at her government ministry, noting that she was already focused on two ongoing public advocacy campaigns unrelated to the intra-party contest. “There is a lot of work that we do at the ministry. I am sure you know we have two campaigns moving forward. We have the Blue Teddy Bear Campaign and recently a campaign to end sexual violence against children and teenagers and young people,” she explained. Early the following morning, Belize Prime Minister John Briceño publicly congratulated Vellos and his campaign slate on their convention victory via the social platform X. This report is a transcribed excerpt from News Five’s evening television broadcast, with Kriol language content translated and transcribed using a standardized spelling system for public accessibility.