After just over a month of campaigning, General Election Day was held on March 12th, where the People’s United Party (PUP) won, winning 26 out of 31 constituencies and securing another term for the incumbent Prime Minister, Honorable John Briceño. This victory was not surprising for some, as the two uncontested seats (Pickstock and Fort George) on Nomination Day indicated significant issues within the opposition party. The PUP’s victory was also evident in Belize Rural South (BRS), which includes Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker, and St. George’s Caye, where PUP candidate Andre Perez won by a substantial margin, garnering support from more than half of the voter turnout.
The official results for BRS, provided on Wednesday night, March 12th, by Returning Officer Anthony Mai, showed that the votes were: Perez 3,418, Heredia 1,898, Mahmoud Dani Lagha 110, and Abner Bacab 159.
The election saw polling areas open at 7AM nationwide. In San Pedro Town, voting occurred at the San Pedro High School (SPHS) and the San Pedro Roman Catholic Primary School (SPRCS). Electors with last names starting with letters A to I voted at SPHS, while those with last names beginning with letters J to Z voted at SPRCS.
Voters arriving at the polls throughout the day were fewer than in previous elections, resulting in a small but steady turnout of electors. PUP Candidate Perez expressed optimism, saying, “We are having a great day, and our supporters are coming out.” Similarly, his opponent from the UDP, Heredia, shared his confidence, believing he would return as Area Representative for BRS. The final report on voter turnout, including the number and percentage of voters, was provided at 6PM when the polls closed. An hour later, the votes from all polling stations were transported to the SPHS, where reconciling and counting the votes began.
The initial reports from the counting room indicated that Perez was leading from the beginning, winning box after box as the counting progressed. Heredia officially conceded his loss after 10 PM. Even before the result was confirmed, Perez and his team began their celebration. He expressed gratitude to his supporters for the opportunity to continue representing BRS in government. The final results showed that Perez won the election, followed by Heredia, Bacab, and Lagha.
“I would like to thank everyone—the voters of Belize Rural South, my machinery in Belize Rural South, and my family. I am humble and ready to work. I have done the plan in the past four years, but there is much more to be done in the next five years. The plan is set for Plan Belize 2.0. I am committed, I am inspired, and I am motivated. I am truly grateful for the people giving me the opportunity to serve them for another term,” said Perez following the official announcement of his victory.
Heredia said in his concession speech posted on social media, “The people of Belize Rural South have spoken. I want to extend my sincere congratulations to Mr. Andre Perez on his victory. The people have made their choice, and we respect their decision. I hope that this time around, you will lead with the people’s best interests at heart and work tirelessly to uplift our communities. For me, this marks the end of an era. After decades of serving the people of Belize Rural South. It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve you, to fight for our communities, and to be part of the growth and transformation of our islands. I leave with a heart full of gratitude for the trust you placed in me over the years.”
Bacab and Lagha expressed gratitude to those who supported them in their recent posts.
According to the Elections and Boundaries Department, 65.1% of Belizeans exercised their democratic right to vote in the recent elections, with 128,262 ballots cast. This represents a significant decline from the 81.6% voter turnout in the previous elections 2020.
The voter turnout varied by electoral division, as follows; Belize Rural South: 56.64%, Corozal North: 80.20%, Corozal South West: 78.36%, Albert: 75.22%, Corozal South East: 74.74%, Lake Independence: 73.84%, Orange Walk South: 72.23%, Queen’s Square: 71.78%, Cayo North: 71.14%, Corozal Bay: 71.11%, Orange Walk North: 69.98%, Toledo West: 69.00%, Orange Walk Central: 68.59%, Mesopotamia: 67.20%, Collet: 67.09%, Cayo West: 66.90%, Toledo East: 64.71%, Cayo Central: 63.25%, Belize Rural North: 63.19%, Cayo North East: 62.89%, Cayo South: 62.88%, Orange Walk East: 62.27%, Freetown: 59.70%, Belmopan: 59.65%, Belize Rural Central: 59.49%, Caribbean Shores: 57.18%, Port Loyola: 53.02%, Stann Creek West: 50.94%, Dangriga: 47.11%.
The PUP secured victory in 26 out of 31 constituencies. The constituencies include Belize Rural Central, Belize Rural North, Belize Rural South, Belmopan, Caribbean Shores, Cayo Central, Cayo North, Cayo North East, Cayo South, Collet, Corozal Bar, Corozal South East, Corozal South West, Dangriga, Fort George, Freetown, Lake Independence, Orange Walk Central, Orange Walk East, Orange Walk North, Orange Walk South, Pickstock, Port Layola, Stann Creek West, Toledo East and Toledo West. In his victory speech, Briceño stated, “Tonight we celebrate, but tomorrow the work begins anew.”
Opposition Results
Overall, the United Democratic Party (UDP) secured five seats in the election, with three belonging to the Tracy Panton faction and two to Shyne Barrow’s faction. The constituencies won by the UDP include Queen’s Square, Mesopotamia, Corozal North, Cayo West, and Albert. Shyne Barrow, the former leader of the opposition, lost his seat to Mark Lee Chang, a UDP candidate supported by the Panton faction. As a result, Tracy Panton, who won in the Albert division, has become the first female leader of the opposition in Belize.
Following the election results, the 31 elected Area Representatives will officially be sworn in, marking the beginning of a new term in office.
The San Pedro Sun applauds those who voted. Participation is essential to democracy, and although voter turnout was lower than anticipated, those who did participate made their voices heard.
