Orange Walk District Goes Blu!

In the Orange Walk District, the United Democratic Party has been vanished.  The People’s United Party, led by sixty-year-old John Briceño, won all four constituencies by huge margins.  Never having lost an election, the veteran politician, Briceño won handily in the Central.  Jose Abelardo Mai crushed his opponent by over a thousand votes in the south.  In the north, Ramon “Monchi” Cervantes rolled in with a vengeance.  The area that appeared tough was Orange Walk East, but the indomitable Kevin Bernard took down Elodio Aragon Junior, the former Minister of Police.

Hipolito Novelo, Reporting

The People’s United Party took over the Orange Walk district with all four candidates winning their respective decision. The Prime Minister John Briceño won Orange Walk Central by over seven hundred votes, garnering fifty six percent of the votes. His three times challenger the U.D.P.’s Denny Grijalva received two thousand one hundred and forty votes. The voter turnout in that division was eighty four percent.

John Briceño

Prime Minister John Briceño

“Despite of a pandemic, Belizeans in impressive numbers voted for a new beginning. As a nation we have kept the faith from adult suffrage in 1954 to this day. We have kept Belizean democracy strong so that once again we bear witness to the peaceful transfer from one administration to another. As we say, they people have spoken long live democracy.”

In the North, Ramon “Monchi” Cervantes defeated the U.D.P.’s Carlos Zetina. Cervantes won overwhelmingly by over one thousand four hundred votes. He managed to flip the division in favour of the P.U.P.

Ramon Cervantes

Ramon Cervantes, Area Rep., OW North

“I feel great. I am very thankful for the people who supported me, who voted for me. I am very grateful for them. It would not have been possible for them. I was confident but I know I still had to put in all the work and wanted to try because I take nothing for granted.”

Going to the south, Jose Abelardo Mai remains as the area representative. He defeated the U.D.P.’s Guadalupe Magana Dyck by over one thousand four hundred votes. Mai says he wasn’t surprised of his win.

Jose Mai

Jose Mai, Area Rep., OW South

“It never bothered me if I was to win. I knew I was going to win. What concerns me is governing. How do we govern the day after we are elected and that is my concern? There is a feeling of reassurance that the people do care for, they do love you, they do believe in you. We need to live to their expectations which I believe is going to be challenging and long and bumpy road.”

And while the road was bumpy for the P.U.P.’s Kevin Bernard; when the votes were counted Bernard made huge inroads.  Many eyes were on Orange Walk East where he defeated the U.D.P.’s Elodio Aragon Junior by a huge margin, by more than six hundred votes.

Kevin Bernard

Kevin Bernard, Area Rep., OW East

“I know what we were doing and our numbers were reflecting the exact victory today. Before I came in to the counting station I said to my colleagues and I said to the Party Leader we are going to win between six hundred and seven hundred votes and that is what we delivered to the great People’s United Party and the great people of Orange Walk East.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Hipolito Novelo.