On February 18, 2025, the Belize High Court rejected an interim relief application submitted by Jeremy Enriquez, determining that he did not provide adequate legal justification for his claims. The court heard a request for an injunction to stop the general election scheduled for March 12 due to the lack of redistricting.
Claimants Jeremy Enriquez, Rudolph Norales, and Jessica Tulcey argued that proceeding with the elections without redrawing electoral boundaries would violate the principle of equal representation. Senior Counsel Anand Ramlogan represented them. The claim asserted that the current 31 constituencies have significant disparities in voter numbers, contravening Section 90(1)(a) of the Constitution, which addresses equality of votes.
In response, Senior Counsel Eamon Courtenay, representing the Attorney General, argued that the court lacked jurisdiction and requested the application’s dismissal, stating it was filed too late. He also mentioned that the Prime Minister is not legally obligated to provide notice before announcing elections. Additionally, the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC), represented by Senior Counsel Godfrey Smith, was permitted to submit pleadings.
Justice Hondora raised several concerns about the case, particularly regarding Enriquez’s use of digital template signatures on the affidavits and exhibits submitted. This practice raised questions about the authenticity of the court documents. The judge also criticized Enriquez’s submissions’ excessive length and formatting, which appeared to be more like legal arguments rather than standard court documents.
Senior Counsel Anand Ramlogan, who represented Enriquez, was specifically instructed to clarify whether he has a legal practice in Belize and to explain his arrangements with the local law firm, Messrs Estevan Perera and Company LLP, which was listed as the service address. Additionally, the court requested details on the preparation, signing, and submission of affidavits and supporting documents, particularly in relation to the issues concerning digitally inserted signatures.
As the application has been dismissed, general elections will proceed as scheduled for March 12th. Both the People’s United Party (PUP) and the United Democratic Party (UDP) now have less than a month to campaign before voters make their decision.
