P.U.P. Executive Meets on Mendez Allegations

Marco Tulio Mendez

This afternoon, the National Executive of the People’s United Party met to discuss the unpleasant and very serious allegations being made against Orange Walk East Area Representative Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez. The Party faces a very real moral and political dilemma. On one hand, Mendez is allegedly accused by his estranged wife of a very despicable act. On the other, the couple is going through a very nasty and public separation. There has been no official report coming out of the Human Development office, at least not yet. And Orange Walk Police say they have heard the allegations like everyone else, but have received no complaint or report against Mendez. After meeting for more than two hours today, P.U.P. Leader Francis Fonseca emerged to state the decision of the executive.

Francis Fonseca

Francis Fonseca, P.U.P. Leader

“The first thing we agreed on and made absolutely clear as a party is that obviously we are dealing with allegations. So far nothing formal has come to the party’s attention or to my attention, so we are dealing with rumours and speculation and allegations that have been made against Honourable Dr. Marco Tulio Mendez. Now based on the nature of these allegations as we have heard them and received them…obviously as a party we take them very seriously. Any such allegation has to be treated with the absolute seriousness that it deserves and our party obviously like all Belizeans has zero tolerance for any act of that nature against any child in our society. So that obviously is our clear position. But as we met today, as we speak to you today, there is no substance that we have before us in terms of these allegations. So what the party has done is to authorize me as the leader…we discussed many different options, it is an evolving matter, it is a fluid matter, and as the matter develops over today and the course of the next few days the party has authorized me to take the necessary action that I deem necessary, that I deem appropriate as the facts become available to me and to the party.”