In a historic turnout that has reshaped the People’s United Party’s (PUP) municipal election lineup for Punta Gorda, political newcomer and veteran educator Maclovio Ack has pulled off a striking upset victory over two-term incumbent mayor Carlos “Obeah” Galvez in Sunday’s party mayoral convention. Ack, who defeated both Galvez and fellow first-time contender Dr. Francis Arzu, secured a clear lead in the final vote count, emerging as the PUP’s official mayoral candidate for the 2027 Belizean municipal elections.
Final vote tallies confirmed Ack’s commanding position: he earned 554 votes from convention participants, while incumbent Galvez walked away with 392 votes, and Arzu finished third with 209. Out of 1,233 total ballots cast, only 20 were invalidated – a result that PUP officials note marks the highest voter participation rate in the history of Punta Gorda’s municipal party conventions, a sign of strong local engagement in this election cycle.
Ack, an eight-year teaching veteran and current teaching principal in nearby Barranco Village, brings a community-rooted background to his new candidacy. Before entering the mayoral race, he served as president of the Rotaract Club of Punta Gorda, where he led grassroots community projects and coordinated local fundraising initiatives. Those experiences, he says, inspired him to pursue broader public leadership roles.
In his first remarks after his victory, Ack framed his win as the realization of a long-held personal goal tied to service for his hometown. “This has been my aspiration, and I am here, living this dream. I am doing it for my town, Punta Gorda,” Ack said. He extended respect to his predecessor Galvez, noting that his decision to challenge the incumbent stemmed not from animosity, but from a desire to bring new energy to local leadership, adding, “I ensured I put in the work to earn this opportunity.”
Central to Ack’s policy and advocacy focus is uplift for Punta Gorda’s youth population, a priority he says grows directly from his own experience as a young leader and his work in education. “As a youth, I know what it is; I see the experience that we have here in Punta Gorda, so I want to be able to stand up for them,” Ack explained. “I want to be able to fight for our youths and be the voice for our youths. I know their struggles; I listen to their cries. Our youths are the future, so we need to step up.”
Ack argues that his decades-long career in education has prepared him uniquely for local office, having already spent years impacting lives and giving back to the Punta Gorda region through education work. “I think it’s now that I want to venture into a bigger area of leadership, which is my whole community,” he said. Ack emphasized that his campaign and future tenure will be defined by tangible action, saying, “I am ready to work; I am going to continue what I started. I will prove to myself that I am ready and that I am serious about leading Punta Gorda. My campaign will be through action.”
Alongside Ack’s nomination, six candidates were elected to join the PUP’s municipal councillor slate for Punta Gorda. Gloria Maria Avila led all councillor contenders with 692 votes, followed by Anthony Fuentes with 636. Kerlinn “Kay” Moreira and Olivia “Assi” Sho tied with 544 votes each, while Indira Coleman secured 541 votes and Roberto Virez earned 516 votes to round out the ticket.
The Punta Gorda convention kicks off a series of upcoming PUP municipal nomination events across Belize. The party will hold its next convention in San Ignacio Town on August 22, followed by a nomination event in Benque Viejo the next day, August 23.