Abi Mai and Lupe Magana Face Off for Orange Walk South

There are eleven villages in Orange South.  The area is large and has more than six thousand five hundred voters.  This election, the pandemic has changed every imaginable way of life.  The campaign strategy has had to be adopted to keep voters and party stalwarts safe.  Jose Abelardo Mai is a powerhouse in the constituency and a deputy party leader of the P.U.P.  The two-term area rep says he has been consistent in presenting the people in an area where agriculture is king.  On the other side, the U.D.P. standard bearer is Guadalupe Magana Dyck.  While Mai defeated her in the 2015 election, Dyck says on November eleventh, she will be victorious. News Five’s Hipolito Novelo follows them on the campaign trail. er4e  Here

Hipolito Novelo, Reporting

In Orange Walk South there are six thousand eight hundred registered voters and the P.U.P.’s Jose Mai and the U.D.P.’s Guadalupe Magana-Dyck are determined to sway the majority of voters in order to declare victory on November eleventh. Orange Walk South consists of mainly villages spread across a vast area. Sitting area representatives Jose Mai says that he has been visiting the villages. With the Orange Walk District having the most confirmed and active case and most COVID death, Mai says he is being careful.

Jose Mai, Area Representative, Orange Walk South

“Our house to house campaign strategy hasn’t changed. It is a house to house campaign. The hospitality, the embraces and the handshakes and the hugs, that has changed. So we don’t get much of that. We avoid that. We avoid entering the homes. We see the same amount of people but that cordiality is not there anymore. There is reason for that and they understand it. Sometime people will say come in to the home. We would say I prefer to stay out, I am trying to protect you and ask for their support. But it is going fine. I think we can campaign and still keep safe but we have to stick to the mask, sanitizing and we constantly wash our hands. We change masks twice a day so we are keeping up with that.”

It has been the same for Mai’s challenger. Magana Dyck has been walking the streets in Orange Walk South, visiting houses and speaking with people but she too is being cautious.

Guadalupe Magana Dyck

Guadalupe Magana Dyck, U.D.P. Standard Bearer, Orange Walk South

“It has changed because as you know. People are still scared. People are still afraid. You have to campaign and wear a mask now. You have to take precautions. You have to have your sanitizer with you when you are on the campaign and also when you go. We try to talk to people on the edge of the fences and not so forth. It is not as usual when we used to go into people’s house and sit and so forth. It is different now.”

Magana Dyck is looking to unseat Mai and represent the people of Orange Walk South. she lost the division by sixty-two votes but believes that in November she will defeat Mai.

Hipolito Novelo

“Do you believe that Orange Walk South will go red?”

Guadalupe Magana Dyck

“Orange Walk South will definitely go red this time.”

Hipolito Novelo

“What are the issues that you are campaign on?”

Guadalupe Magana Dyck

“One will be the agriculture sector. We need to work on our agriculture sector. Two, education for our young people. Three, the road. Especially the Guinea grass road. I will advocate for that road to be paved. Those are some of the issues that we are working on.”

Jose Mai

Mai, however, believes that he will retain his position as area representative. Mai says he is campaign on issues such as unemployment, corruption and poverty.

Hipolito Novelo

“Do you feel as if though Lupe Magana Dyck has anything over you?”

Jose Mai

“Absolutely not. Without a shadow of doubt. She is a lady, I respect her. She is a fighter but she has no chance in Orange Walk South. You have seen how relentless I have been in opposition, relentless but also responsible, objective. I have defended the people of my constituency time and time again. And that is now people have seen that in me. So I don’t think she has a chance. If she could not do it in the era of the petrocaribe when there was plenty, today when there is none I don’t think she will be able to make it.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Hipolito Novelo.