_{Photo: Top left: Dr. Osmond Martinez, PUP; Bottom left: Dennis Williams, UDP; and Right: Will Maheia, PNP (People’s National Party)}

A by-election is scheduled to take place in Toledo East on July 17.

by Charles Gladden

TOLEDO DISTRICT, Thurs. June 13, 2024

July 17 has been set as the date on which the residents of Toledo East will elect a new area representative into office after the former area representative, Hon. Michael Espat, passed away in April of this year, leaving the seat vacant.

The seat was occupied by Espat for six terms since 1989—making him the longest-running parliamentarian in Belize. That extended period of service to that constituency came to an abrupt end when he suffered a heart attack late one evening in Belmopan that caused his death.

He was 75.

Since his passing, the primary political parties have selected standard bearers to contest for the vacant seat. Meanwhile, the People’s United People (PUP) saw several candidates vying for the standard bearer position, including former Ministry of Finance CEO, Dr. Osmond Martinez; son of the late Espat, Melhem Espat; and Nicanor Requena, the brother of Minister Oscar Requena—thus forcing the party to hold a convention that took place over the weekend.

Dr. Martinez emerged from that convention as the new standard bearer for the PUP, after receiving 1762 votes, while 1281 voted for Espat and 479 for Requena – with 34 spoiled ballots.

Martinez will face off against Dennis “Desho” Williams, the standard bearer for the United Democratic Party (UDP); Wil Maheia of the People’s National Party (PNP); and Ray Coleman, who is running independently.

In the meantime, the Prime Minister of Belize, Hon. John Briceño, has requested a writ of election to be drafted and released in the upcoming days.

“I’ve asked for the writ to be prepared, and the date that I’ve set … after consulting with the Elections and Boundaries Commission to see when they could get ready the voters list, I would want to have it as early as possible,” said PM Briceño to reporters.

The last time a by-election was called as a result of the elected representative passing away was in 2021, when David “Dido” Vega passed away due to complications of COVID on the very day he was set to be sworn into office. His sister, Elvia Vega Samos, would emerge victorious in the by-elections and become his successor for Corozal Bay.

Also, in 2003, Hon. Agripino “Pino” Cawich served as Minister of State in a PUP government, and while in office he passed away while battling cancer. John Saldivar of the UDP then became the elected area representative for Cayo South (now Belmopan).

The winner in the Toledo East by-election will hold office until the 2025 general elections.