BELIZE-PM Briceño eating popcorn as opposition internal problems unfold in the public domain

BELMOPAN, Belize, CMC—Prime Minister John Briceño says he has been eating lots of popcorn as he watches the internal fighting within the United Democratic Party (UDP) on television.

“We all say that it is important to have a strong opposition. It is a part of our democracy. But they are doing that to themselves; it is not that anybody is interfering. I have been eating a lot of popcorn, watching the drama unfold on television,” Briceño told reporters.

Earlier this week, Opposition Leader Shyne Barrow said he has “always kept my door open” as infighting within the UDP spilled into the public domain.

On Monday, Barrow filed a formal complaint with the Belize Police Department after reportedly being threatened by the party’s Second Deputy Leader, Beverly Williams.

Media reports said that the two were engaged in a bitter spat last weekend that quickly became personal, and during the exchange of words, Williams is alleged to have made a threat on Barrow’s life.

Barrow also described “absolutely untrue” a report that the party’s chairman had received and rejected a petition calling for a national convention in 90 days.

“I think the Belizean public has grown tired of the sad state of affairs that we see playing out, and I’m not going to participate. We want to be the Cabinet. If we want to be the Cabinet, now is the time to demonstrate what we want to be to the Belizean public. So, I will do my part not to engage in the mudslinging, not to engage in the defamation of character, not to engage in any narrative or campaigning against any colleagues,” Barrow said.

Prime Minister Briceño, whose ruling People’s United Party (PUP) won 26 of the 31 seats in the November 2020 general elections, said that the party does not pay attention to what is happening within the UDP.

“We do our work, that the party continues to organize themselves, and we are hoping that by the end of August, early September, we should have all our candidates in place and that we continue to work as a government and that whenever we feel the time has come to call an election that we would be ready and that the Belizean people would agree to give us another mandate,” Briceño added.