Belize’s ruling People’s United Party (PUP) is entering a busy stretch of internal municipal nomination contests, with a high-stakes three-way race for the Punta Gorda mayoral candidacy kicking off this weekend, fresh off a historic high-turnout vote in Corozal.
Three candidates are vying for the party’s backing to hold the Punta Gorda mayor’s seat: the incumbent Carlos “Obeah” Galvez, who is seeking re-endorsement, faces challenges from two hopefuls – medical professional Dr. Francis Arzu and community leader Macavio Ack. Beyond the mayoral contest, 13 aspiring candidates are competing for just six available spots on the party’s municipal council ticket for the district.
In remarks confirming the party’s election schedule, PUP Secretary General Collet Montejo outlined that the Punta Gorda convention is just the first in a series of internal votes across southern and western Belize. “This week we have Punta Gorda. In Punta Gorda it’s going to be very interesting. We have three mayoral candidates,” Montejo said, laying out the full calendar of upcoming contests. Immediately following the Punta Gorda vote, the party will hold two back-to-back conventions in Cayo District on August 22 and 23.
The first of the Cayo contests will take place Saturday, August 22 in San Ignacio and Santa Elena, hosted at the Center for Employment Training. Unlike the open conventions held in Punta Gorda, Corozal and Benque, this will be a closed delegate-only vote, with more than 200 registered delegates expected to cast ballots between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. for six council candidate slots. The mayoral nomination in San Ignacio/Santa Elena has already been settled, with Aaron Mai securing the spot unopposed.
The following day, Sunday August 23, the PUP will hold its convention in Benque Viejo at the local Kancha venue. There, incumbent mayor Jorge Rosales will fight to keep his place on the party ticket, facing a challenge from candidate Jenny Martinez. Ten candidates are competing for six Benque Viejo municipal council nominations in the same contest.
With multiple hotly contested races unfolding across the country in the lead-up to municipal elections, party leaders have emphasized that internal competition must remain civil and compliant with the PUP’s campaign rules. When asked how the party would prevent tense internal rivalries from spilling over into personal attacks or disorder, Montejo acknowledged that managing campaign enthusiasm is an ongoing challenge for party leadership.
“That is always a challenge for us, especially here at the Secretariat. We’re constantly getting complaints from all over, because there is a rule by which they must govern that they must keep their campaign clean. They cannot be attacking the other side, they have to campaign on their merits,” Montejo explained. The secretary general noted that party leadership actively intervenes when candidates step out of line, and candidates have consistently aligned with the rules after being reminded of party expectations.
Montejo pointed to the recent Corozal convention as a model for how contested PUP internal votes should run: despite high turnout and tight competition, the event remained completely peaceful, with candidates and supporters demonstrating commendable conduct. Party officials expect the same standard of respectful competition to hold in Punta Gorda and the upcoming Cayo contests.
This report is adapted from a transcript of a televised evening news broadcast, with all direct quotations preserved from the original recording.