As the 2026 Belmopan municipal election campaign gains traction, two long-simmering political scandals have emerged as defining forces shaping voter sentiment and candidate strategy, with UDP mayoral hopeful Isidoro “Richie” Galvez pushing back against opposition claims that a vote for his campaign is a de facto vote for disgraced former UDP heavyweight John Saldivar.
In a public address responding to growing voter questions, Galvez acknowledged that widespread voter frustration over the ongoing Mira Millions scandal, linked to his PUP opponents, has driven significant disillusioned support to his campaign. He noted that this trend aligns with a long-standing pattern in Belizean politics, where elections are more often driven by voters pushing out incumbent parties they are unhappy with than actively endorsing a new platform or candidate.
“Many residents of Belmopan are fed up with the current string of scandals, and I can feel that frustration translating into support for my campaign,” Galvez stated. “While much of my current momentum comes from backlash against my opponents’ controversies, there is also a solid base of voters who are choosing to vote for me, not just against the other side.”
But Galvez has not been able to escape his own association with political controversy. Opponents from the PUP have drawn a parallel between their own attacks: just as they frame a vote for PUP candidate Cawich as a vote tied to the Mira Millions scandal, they argue a vote for Galvez is a vote that lets Saldivar retain indirect political influence in Belmopan.
Galvez pushed back against these claims, dismissing them as little more than partisan propaganda from hardline PUP supporters. He did not, however, deny his past relationship with the former party leader. Galvez confirmed that he respects Saldivar and acknowledges the former heavyweight’s past contributions to infrastructure and development in Belmopan, a sentiment shared by many long-time city residents. But he emphasized that political dynamics in the city have shifted significantly, and he is running to forge an independent path.
“There is a cloud hanging over John Saldivar, and we cannot run from that reality,” Galvez said. “I am running my own campaign, on my own platform, to serve the people of Belmopan, not to advance anyone else’s political agenda.”
So far, Galvez has unveiled four candidates for his municipal council slate, with the remaining two positions expected to be announced to the public in the coming days as the campaign officially enters its active phase. This report is a transcribed excerpt from an evening television broadcast original to the outlet.