On Tuesday, August 21st, an official statement was issued announcing that Ramon Vasquez, the Chairman and CEO of Belize Broadcasting Network (BBN), had decided to resign from his position as the standard bearer for the United Democracy Party (UDP) in anticipation of the upcoming General Elections scheduled for November 2025. Vasquez was appointed as the standard bearer for Belize Rural South (BRS), encompassing Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye, on August 20, 2024, but has opted to step down from his role.
The statement, shared on BBN’s official Facebook account, outlined that the decision was made following extensive deliberations with BBN’s board of directors. The announcement clarified the rationale behind this choice, citing Vasquez’s decision to step away from politics as a precautionary measure to preserve the television station’s impartiality and independence.
Originally hailing from Caye Caulker, Vasquez became another candidate to offer and run following San Pedro’s Daniel Guerrero. Before Guerro, Jazelie Azueta was relieved of her duties due to discord with party leadership, while Guerrero withdrew from the race amidst recent internal conflicts.
As the People’s United Party (PUP) finalizes its candidate selection process, the United Democratic Party (UDP) continues to grapple with internal instability in efforts to restore cohesion. With the withdrawal of Guerrero’s standard bearer application on August 9th and the removal of Azueta in September 2023, Vasquez Notably is the third standard bearer to vacate the post.
Speculations surround the possibility of early elections by the current government led by the People’s United Party. However, Prime Minister Honorable John Briceño continues to dismiss these rumors firmly and said it would only add potential interference with the comprehensive five-year Plan Belize agenda.
