Saldivar Speaks on U.S. Department of States’ Controversy Following Convention Victory

On Monday we showed you highlights of the Belmopan convention that returned veteran politician John Saldivar as the United Democratic Party’s standard bearer for the capital city. Even with all the controversies that Saldivar had faced over the past few years- from his friendship with Danny Mason, the “tranche trials” with Lev Derman and the most recent designation by the U.S. State Department for his “involvement in significant corruption” – none of these issues dissuaded his Belmopan supporters from returning him as their representative. This morning, during his appearance on Open Your Eyes, when pressed by the hosts about moving past these scandals, Saldivar said the people of Belmopan have found him “not guilty.”

John Saldivar

John Saldivar, U.D.P. Belmopan Standard Bearer
“Well I have a feeling that Sunday should have been pretty much the last of it but you have the other voters to convince. It should have been the last of it. Sunday was a sample of Belmopan. So let’s not think that the seven thousand people who did not come out will suddenly reflect a different perspective than what came out there. Two thousand people coming out of a population of nine thousand is a significant amount and I believe a reflection of how the population of Belmopan really thinks. I would like to dispel that. I feel that most of Belmopan who are not already polarized – cause you’ll never get a PUP to accept that there was nothing there – but other people as was stated by them in this convention. This is water under the bridge. I would want to think certainly in Belize. I’m reaching out to the rest of the country will be a different thing and I do intend to travel nationally. Let me just say this if I were on some sort of trial on Sunday the jury has returned a verdict of not guilty and I think that is very clear.”