Martin Galvez takes over P.U.P. Lake I

Martin Galvez

Today was nomination day across the country for anyone who intended to hold political office at the national level. The nominations were routine, minus the Lake Independence situation with Yolanda Schakron, who lost a bid for Lake Independence. But the nominee who rushed into the race at the close of the day is Martin Galvez. If you said Martin who? You aren’t the only one. Prior to today, Galvez had not expressed any interest in public office, but he will now champion the Peoples United Party’s cause in Lake Independence, replacing his sister. There were rumors that former P.U.P. minister Carlos Diaz would run in the area and he did put in his bid, but as an independent candidate. Galvez stepped in late this evening to replace Schakron and was successfully nominated just before the four o’clock deadline. The new P.U.P. Lake I. nominee is the father of Christopher Galvez, a teen who was gunned down in December of 2009. It is that youth’s death that propelled his aunt Yolanda into the Belizeans For Justice movement and her recent stint to attain public office. Perhaps it’s fate that the father of the slain youth is now propelled into the spotlight. He has appeared in the news on one other occasion when his vehicle was burnt during an arson attempt. But by all accounts Martin Galvez is humble and less of a firebrand than his sister Yolanda. So at this very late stage of the race, both Martin and Yolanda will be together on the short end of the campaign trail against Mark King for Lake Independence Area Representative.