Dozens of Supporters Gather as P.U.P. Leader John Briceño is Officially Nominated

Candidates for the ruling United Democratic Party, the main opposition party, the People’s United Party, and the smaller parties officially got their names on the ballot to contest the November eleventh general elections. We are told that as many as ninety were nominated, but that number is yet to be confirmed.  Now nomination day is usually a big affair for political parties leading up to general elections, but because of the COVID pandemic, things shifted this year significantly.  So while both major parties agreed not to hold motorcades or rallies to ward off the virus, that commitment did not hold for long as party supporters could not be restrained.  The Commissioner of Police is holding his position and we’ll hear from him later.  In our coverage tonight, we start in Orange walk where Opposition Leader John Briceño was among the first to be nominated. Here is News Five’s Hipolito Novelo.

Hipolito Novelo, Reporting

A crowd of P.U.P. supporters gathered in front of John Briceño’s constituency office on Bakers Street in Orange Walk Central.

John Briceño

John Briceño, Leader, P.U.P. 

“We have what, twenty two more days to go so guys you have to work hard every single day and we have to ensure and tell our voters that we are going to protect them so that they can go out and vote sage because the U.D.P. doesn’t want people to go vote because more people go out and vote the bigger we are going to win. So on the eleventh of November we are going to make sure that we take out every single voter in Orange Walk Central…So that when the count the votes history  is going to be made because you are going to have a government of the People’s United Party. (Chants)”

…and that is John Briceño speaking into a microphone to the crowd gathered on the street. He had just been official nominated to represent the P.U.P. in Orange Walk Central on November eleventh.  And before that energetic speech, this was the scene on Bakers Street. Dozens of party supporters donning P.U.P. shirts, face masks and waving the Blue and white flag. It seemed like a normal nomination day with the supporters quickly taking pictures with the man they hope becomes the next Prime Ministers. There were even fireworks. And as Briceño prepared to make his way to the nomination centre, his supporters waited, waited to follow their leader. And followed they did.

While there was no motorcade, there was a parade – a parade of P.U.P. supporters was led by Briceño. Briceño, his family and six nominators walked to the La Inmaculada school auditorium where he would be officially nominated. Before entering the compound, washing and sanitizing of hands took place. Inside the nomination room, social distancing was observed and masks were worn. And as documents were signed Briceno’s supporters waited on Main Street, one hundred yards away, six feet apart – being watched by police officers including the Orange Walk Commanding Officer.

After a couple of minutes, Briceño emerged from the nomination centre.

 
John Briceño

“It is very exciting as always. You never get use to doing these nominations but this one is kind of bitter sweet one, my father died three years ago and then my uncle last year and they have always been looking forward to this day when I would be nominated especially as the leader of the People’s United Party and so exciting but still as I said bitter sweet because of the law of my father and my uncle and so many other supporters of people that have been with me from the very first time I got elected way back in 1993. It is an exciting time, a lot of energy and so forth but there has to be a constraint energy.”

Hipolito Novelo

“Did you feel safe and comfortable going in to the centre, I mean the COVID measures?”

John Briceño

“That is always at the back of your mind that you have to be careful at all times and you try to do your very best to do the social distancing and from time to time people get excited and they come with you and then you just can’t help but wanting to hug them; in a few occasions there are a few special people.”

Briceño and his supporters walked back to the starting point, where he addressed them.

John Briceño (Translated)

“…and we are going to work twenty two more days so that we can have a government of the People’s United Party.”

The crowd later dispersed. And while they did so, in the east Kevin Bernard was being nominated to represent the P.U.P. in Orange Walk East, challenging sitting U.D.P. area representative, Elodio Aragon Junior.

Kevin Bernard

Kevin Bernard, P.U.P. Candidate, Orange Walk East

“Today we made this official declaring my candidacy as the P.U.P.’s standard bearer for Orange Walk East. Here in Orange Walk east we are ready. We are prepared. We are ready for November eleventh and I can tell you that being on the ground the people are saying that they want a change and today marks the beginning of that change with my name being officially nominated today with my six nominators.”

And also nominated this morning was Jose Abelardo Mai. He is currently the sitting area representative for Orange Walk South and has now officially put his name in the ring to serve for another term.

Jose Abelardo Mai

Jose Abelardo Mai, P.U.P. Candidate, Orange Walk South

“This is my fourth nomination since 2008, when my first election in 2008 and now this is my fourth election in 2020. But I am humble. This position that I hold is not my position. It is the people’s position. It is they who allow me to be here in the first place so I am humbled to have this position and represent my people for two terms right now. I am going for the third, I am certain.”

Joining his colleagues was Ramon “Monchi” Cervantes, who wants to be the area representative under the blue banner in Orange Walk North

Ramon “Monchi” Cervantes

Ramon “Monchi” Cervantes, P.U.P. Candidate, Orange Walk North

“I feel good. I am elated that we have gone through this step along the way of being the official candidate for the People’s United Party for Orange Walk North. I feel very good about it and humbled about the people that have put their trust in me and also the nominators that didn’t even flinched. They just accepted to nominate me.”

This nomination day is significant for the P.U.P., not only because they haven’t been in office since 2008, but if they do form the next government, that would mean that the next Prime Minister would be someone outside of Belize City: John Briceño

John Briceño

“It is exciting that it took us a long time to get the party together to have the right policies, the right campaign, the right team, the right messages but that was not just myself. That was hundreds of people that have been working when I was elected January thirtieth 2016. I have the advantage now that the party for the first time has been really, truly united, not only in words but also in actions and we are always say once the People’s United Party is united there is no party, there is no organization that can defeat a united People’s United Party.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Hipolito Novelo.