A state funeral with services at St. Ignatius Church was held on Saturday, May 5, for former PUP Minister, Remijio Ignacio “Nacho” Montejo, 56, who died from brain cancer at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital about 10:05 p.m. on Thursday, May 3.
Montejo became ill on February 26, 2007, and was diagnosed with a tumor on his brain that was cancerous. He underwent five surgeries, two of them at Universal Health Services and the others in Mexico.
Montejo entered politics in 1975 and in 1981 he became the Mayor of the Belize City Council.
In 1989 he was elected to the House of Representatives as the area representative for Collet, and he became a member of Cabinet with the portfolio of the Ministry of Social Services, Women and Youth.
He later became a backbencher, Deputy Speaker and chairman of various parliamentary committees. He resigned from politics about two years ago.
At the time of his death he was an advisor for the Ministry of Works and he was a majority shareholder of Da Beat, The People’s Radio, 94.5 FM.
Montejo is survived by his first wife, Veronica Montejo; daughters, Anna Rachel Montejo and Lucinda Montejo; his second wife, Xian Wang Huang Montejo, and son, Remijio, Jr.
He is also survived by his only granddaughter, Krysten Maura Zayden, 9.
Among those who attended the funeral were PUP Leader Emeritus, Rt. Hon. George Price; Deputy Prime Minister Johnny Briceño, who represented Prime Minister Said Musa, Hon. Mark Espat, Hon. Godfrey Smith and former Deputy Prime Minister Florencio Marin.
The attendants also included Hon. Patrick Faber and Hon. Anthony “Boots” Martinez of the Opposition UDP.
The eulogy was read by Alfonso Ramirez.