In the thick of swirling political speculation and behind-the-scenes gossip that has gripped Belize’s ruling People’s United Party (PUP) ahead of upcoming municipal elections, Belize City Deputy Mayor Eluide Miller has publicly pushed back against rumors that he was ordered to exit the party’s mayoral nomination race. With the nomination convention fast approaching, Miller moved swiftly on June 30, 2026 to clear up misinformation that had circulated in political circles claiming Prime Minister and PUP leader John Briceño had requested he withdraw his name from the Belize City mayoral slate.
In an exclusive interview with News Five following the release of his initial public statement, Miller detailed his recent closed-door meeting with the prime minister, pushing back hard against the narrative that he has defied direct orders from party leadership. “The narrative that I have somehow been defiant of an instruction or of a request made by our Prime Minister and party leader, Honorable John Briceño is simply false,” Miller told reporter Shane Williams. “I wanted to make it clear that no such instruction or request was made by our party leader, and to reassure the delegates that it is my full intention to participate in the upcoming mayoral convention.”
When pressed about the purpose of his much-discussed meeting with Briceño, Miller characterized the conversation as constructive and focused on the broader landscape of national municipal elections, with specific attention to the competitive race in Belize City. “I had a very good meeting with our Prime Minister. It’s always a privilege to sit and speak with him,” Miller explained. “We had a conversation surrounding the upcoming municipal elections across the country, but specifically Belize City and all the dynamics surrounding the upcoming vote. As a part of that discussion, I stated to him that it is my full intention to participate in the convention. I spoke to him about why it is that I am participating and why I feel prepared to stand for this position. And in the end, he said that he respects my decision to participate.”
Miller also addressed criticism from some within his own party who have argued he should “wait his turn” to run for mayor, pointing to former candidate Alan Pollard’s decision to step aside in the 2023-2024 nomination cycle. Miller pushed back on the comparison, noting that the current race presents a fundamentally different scenario. “I can’t speak to the specifics of his case back in maybe late 2023, 2024. It is my understanding that the national executive of the party at that time did not see it fit for a two-time sitting mayor to be contested at a convention,” he said. “But this time around, in my view, you have a completely different situation. There’s an open seat and you have two young vibrant candidates who are seeking the same position, right? Both sides have communicated interest in participating in a convention. He has said that he is ready and willing to [run], I have said that I am not expecting for anything to be handed to me, but I am willing to participate in a clearly defined process.”
When asked directly whether any party leadership had extended an offer to incentivize him to step down from the race, Miller gave an unflinching denial. “Absolutely no offer has been made to me. And I can publicly say that I would not be welcoming of any offer,” he stated.
Miller will compete for the PUP mayoral nomination against three-term city councilor Allan Pollard in the upcoming delegates convention. As of press time, attempts by News Five to reach Pollard for comment on the race and the circulating rumors have not received a response.