P.U.P. Suspends Arthur Saldivar

Arthur Saldivar

Arthur Saldivar’s political career, or at least a political career with the PUP, is tonight in serious jeopardy. The controversial attorney and Belize Rural North Standard Bearer was summoned to P.U.P. headquarters today to learn his fate. He has been accused of taking a client’s money – over nine hundred thousand dollars to be exact… That client, Melonie Coye, has taken him to court in an attempt to recover the money which is part of what the court ordered be returned to her by the Financial Intelligence Unit. The money was frozen by the F.I.U. when Coye was charged with money laundering, a charge from which she was subsequently cleared. It’s a very serious allegation against Saldivar, and while it hasn’t seemed to trouble him overmuch, it has disturbed and concerned the P.U.P. leader. We’re told the meeting today was lively, but not hostile. There were elements who argued to keep Saldivar in the fold, and some who wanted him kicked out immediately. In the end, the path taken was somewhere in the middle. We spoke to Saldivar post-decision, and while he appeared his usual unflappable self, he obviously wasn’t a happy camper.

Arthur Saldivar, Suspended from P.U.P.

“The outcome is of no import at this time. Just suffice it to say that the people of the Rural North have a champion to fight on their behalf…when it’s time to talk Jules I will talk…”

Francis Fonseca

Francis Fonseca, P.U.P. Leader

“You’ve been made aware of the fact that at its meeting today of the National Executive the People’s United Party has discussed the issue of Belize Rural North and the candidacy of Mr. Arthur Saldivar, our Standard Bearer in that area. I want to say that we had a very robust discussion and at the end of that discussion the Party took the decision that Mr. Arthur Saldivar would be suspended as a candidate for the People’s United Party in Belize Rural North from all Party activities pending the outcome of an ongoing investigation that the party is carrying out into the very serious allegations that have been made in respect of certain monies which a client of Mr. Saldivar says he took and has and has not returned to her. The media is aware of that allegation. An investigation is ongoing. We expect that investigation to be concluded and a report to be delivered to myself and the National Executive by September twelfth, and the party will then convene a meeting of the National Executive on September seventeenth at which time a final decision will be made on this matter. So that was the discussion and those were the decisions taken by the Party.”