Manny Heredia – an Independent for Second Deputy in the U.D.P.?

Manuel Heredia Jr.

Senior Minister Manuel Heredia Junior confirms that he is running for the U.D.P.’s second deputy position. According to Heredia Junior, he made the decision just the day before applications closed and he didn’t consult with his leader, P.M. Barrow.  When we caught up with Heredia on Saturday at an event on San Pedro, we asked him what motivated his decision.  He told us that he will contest his last election in 2020, so he feels that the time is right and that he is qualified and will bring respect and integrity to the party. While it has been rumoured that he is pro-Faber for the leadership position, Heredia made it clear that he is not running as part of a slate and he wasn’t asked by either of the leadership candidates to put his hat in the ring.  Here’s how he explains his personal decision to vie for the second deputy leadership position in the U.D.P, where he will face off with John Saldivar’s candidate Beverly Williams.

Manuel Heredia, Area Representative, Belize Rural South

“I usually don’t believe in going to the higher heights as some people call it. But I believe I almost at the end of my journey. I will only be vying for one more term and then I am planning to retire at that point. That being the case, I bring with me a lot of experience, humility, honesty into this party and I believe this party has been about honesty and transparency. Our Prime Minister has been an impeccable person and I am one of his most loyal ministers in government. I think that if I am to retire, why not give back something to this wonderful party of ours. I believe I can bring some integrity to this party and so I decided to put my name as the second deputy. They were talking to me about probably going for the first but I don’t want to go any further than the second. Even the second, I had to think about that time and time again until I arrived the Thursday of this week from abroad and I decided to submit my name for that position.”

Andrea Polanco

“Were you asked by Minister Faber to be on his slate – to run for that position?”

Manuel Heredia

“There is nobody that asked me to run for nobody; nobody that has asked me to support this one or the other. I support democracy. If you see there is another independent candidate which is Honorable Tracey Panton. Again, she believes she brings a lot of energy and youth to the party and she is a woman. We need a combination of men and women. Personally, I believe the leadership fine each one is going on its own platform and they are the ones, honestly, I believe should have been independent and let the delegates decide who they want. But in a democracy, everybody has the right to do what they want. I believe, personally, as an independent, whoever, of the leaders win, I can bring a lot of respect and integrity to that leader.   This one, this was my own decision without consultation not even with my leader. I have to be very clear that I didn’t consult with the leader; didn’t consult with the two members that are vying for the leadership. It is my own personal decision.”