Prime Minister

The National Assembly of Belize concluded its three-day debate on the 2025–2026 national budget on Wednesday, May 28, following sessions at the George Price Center in Belmopan. The discussion centered on the country’s economic progress, fiscal plans, and political differences shaping the government's development strategy for the upcoming fiscal year. The debate began on Monday, May 26, with several members of the House of Representatives addressing national priorities, including economic recovery, infrastructure development, healthcare, education, and public service delivery.

The Belize Senate has been finalized for its 2025 term. The ruling People’s United Party (PUP) and social partners quickly appointed their representatives. At the same time, the United Democratic Party (UDP) introduced a new opposition lineup, featuring Gabriel Zetina, a young real estate agent from San Pedro Town.

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 Tren Maya project, a major railway initiative in the southeastern region of Mexico, will possibly expand into Belize. Belize's Prime Minister, Johnny Briceño, has officially proposed extending the train across the Hondo River to promote regional integration and boost tourism. The expansion would occur in two stages: first, a seven-kilometer track would be constructed from Quintana Roo to Belize; second, a route would connect Belize to Guatemala, passing through Tikal National Park.

Belizeans are set to vote in the general election scheduled for 2025, where they will choose either to re-elect the current government led by the People's United Party (PUP) or to elect a new administration. Prime Minister Honorable Dr. John Briceño, a prominent figure in the PUP for decades, seeks re-election for a second term. On Wednesday, January 22nd, Briceño shared with reporters in Belize City that he hopes to retire from electoral politics after serving a second term.

From August 30th through the 31st, San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, hosted the third High-Level Meeting of the Regional Climate Change Platform of Economy and Finance Ministries of Latin America and the Caribbean. Hosted by the Government of Belize in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the two-day event saw delegations from various countries. The ministerial meeting ended with a powerful demonstration of unity as the participating countries adopted a regional vision for sustainable finance. This collective effort aims to boost sustainable finance and promote effective investments, reinforcing the shared responsibility of the participating countries in meeting their climate commitments.

After the Municipal Elections held on March 6th, the People’s United Party (PUP) hosted victory rallies throughout the country in each of the six municipalities they won. In San Pedro Town, the newly elected PUP town council held their rally on Saturday, March 23rd, with Belize’s Prime Minister, Honorable John Briceño, in attendance. The celebration included a parade through the town’s streets and a program of events at the Honorable Louis Sylvestre Sporting Complex (Saca Chispas), which included official speeches, raffles, and live entertainment.

Prime Minister, the Honourable Dr. John Briceño led a delegation to Guatemala City, Guatemala, to attend the presidential inauguration of that country's new leader, Bernardo Arevalo. The scheduled ceremony set for 2PM on Sunday, January 14th was almost overshadowed by an extended delay stemming from issues within the Congress. Arevalo was finally sworn in as the 52nd president of Guatemala minutes after midnight.