On Wednesday, February 21st, all nine municipal slates nationwide were officially nominated as the municipal elections draw closer. Known as Nomination Day, in San Pedro, the People’s United Party (PUP) and the United Democratic Party (UDP) slate were nominated with great excitement at the Town Hall. The day also saw the participation of Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Abner Bacab, who was nominated as an independent mayoral candidate.
The first slate that made its way to town hall was the PUP. The incumbent Mayor Gualberto “Wally” Nunez and his team then held a parade through the streets of downtown San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. Many supporters, including a carnival group of dancers, attended the parade. Mayor Nunez and his councilor candidates Dianeli Aranda, Adaly Ayuso, Johnnia Durate, Marina Kay, Ernesto Bardalez, and Jose Castellanos arrived at the town hall building, where they greeted more supporters and shared words of encouragement. Finally, they entered the building with their nominators for the official nomination process.
As the nomination process continued inside the building, a massive crowd of PUP supporters waited outside. Music was played, and Carnival dancers and supporters danced to political songs. Moments later, Nunez and his Councillors were nominated and walked out of the building to meet their followers. There were loud cheers from the crowd, along with confetti explosions as they celebrated their candidates’ nominations. The Sun spoke to Nunez. “We are already feeling the victory in the air. I want to thank my supporters for being here with us as we march to victory,” he briefly said. Following the nomination, Nunez and his entourage and supporters paraded to Boca Del Rio Beach Park, where they continued celebrating with a gathering that included refreshments and giveaways.
The next candidate to be nominated was Abner Bacab, an Independent Mayoral candidate. He arrived at the town hall building, accompanied by his brother Elmer Trejo and Martin Dawson, a Mixed Martial Arts instructor, just after 1 PM. Unlike the PUP candidate, Bacab had no large crowd accompanying him. 
His nomination process was quick, and he stepped out of the building after a few minutes. Bacab stated that if elected as mayor, his three main priorities would be tourism, protecting marine resources, and the conservation of marine resources. He also expressed his desire to positively impact the community so that the people of San Pedranos could have a better life on the island.
At around 2PM, Wilfredo Alamilla Jr., a UDP Mayoral candidate, and his team left their campsite on Pescador Drive and headed towards the town hall. The UDP municipal team also attracted a massive crowd as they marched, sang, and danced towards the nomination station. Shortly after they arrived, Alamilla and his team members, Gian Rivero, Gabriel Zetina, Ama Lilia Rodriguez, Yakarelis Hernandez, Abner Diaz, and Byron Duarte entered the building with their nominators.
While their supporters outside waited and cheered them on with short speeches from staunch supporters who expressed their sentiments towards the opposition party. Minutes later, each Councillor candidate stepped out, Alamilla being the last to walk into the crowd of UDP supporters. The crowd cheered out loud as they lauded the nominated UDP team. Alamilla took the microphone and shared some words with everyone supporting his team. He thanked everyone for sharing such an important thing with him and the Councillor candidates. “My dream is finally coming into reality,” he said. “I have always wanted to be in this position and help my community. I am here officially nominated and ready to work for you all.”
Afterward, they returned to Pescador Drive headquarters to continue their Nomination Day celebration.
A total of 163 candidates have been nominated across the country. These include 67 PUP candidates, 67 UDP candidates, seven candidates from the Belize Progressive Party, 11 candidates from the People’s Democratic Movement, and 11 independent candidates. The next event in the political cycle is the Municipal Elections, which are scheduled for March 6th. Eligible voters in San Pedro are advised that polling stations will be located at the San Pedro High School, San Pedro Junior College in the Boca del Rio area, and the Roman Catholic Primary School at the south end of Barrier Reef Drive.
