A vehement editorial has sharply criticized the United Progressive Party (UPP) of Antigua and Barbuda for its recent claims of political persecution, labeling the allegations as intellectually insulting to the nation’s citizens and a blatant distortion of recent historical events. The piece presents a counter-narrative asserting that the UPP itself was the primary architect of systemic political victimization during its decade-long tenure from 2004 to 2014.
According to the analysis, the UPP’s governance was characterized by a sustained vendetta against members and supporters of the rival Antigua Labour Party (ALP). The stated objective behind these actions was reportedly not the pursuit of justice but rather the strategic humiliation, intimidation, and political eradication of opponents. State institutions were allegedly manipulated to facilitate partisan revenge, treating individuals associated with the ALP as presumptive criminals.
The commentary highlights the deployment of a foreign forensic investigator as a theatrical tactic intended to sway public perception rather than address genuine institutional failures. This approach, described as a form of political theater, was designed to create an illusion of inevitable convictions despite a complete absence of judicial outcomes. High-profile cases, such as those against Cutie Benjamin and Tanny Rose, were widely publicized in media and leveraged at political rallies as intimidation tools, yet all ultimately resulted in dismissals.
A coordinated legal assault involving multiple civil lawsuits was also launched against former ALP ministers, including current figure Gaston Browne, with the alleged aim of bankrupting and silencing political adversaries. After incurring millions in legal fees and inflicting severe reputational damage, every initiated case collapsed under judicial scrutiny without a single conviction or finding of wrongdoing.
The most egregious episode cited occurred during the 2009 general election campaign, when the sitting Prime Minister publicly threatened former ministers with imprisonment without trial—an act characterized as mob politics that undermined parliamentary democracy. Within parliament, UPP members openly boasted of endless investigations and permanent harassment against opponents, displaying contempt for due process and the presumption of innocence.
The editorial concludes that the UPP’s recent demands for restraint and rule of law, following police questioning of its own members, represent profound audacity rather than irony. It asserts the nation remembers the party’s legacy of abused power and failed cases, concluding that the UPP is not facing persecution but is instead being confronted by its own historical record.