By: Omar Silva

Editor/Publisher: National Perspective Bz – Digital 2025

www.nationalperspectivebz.com

Belize City: Tuesday 11th February 2025

Editorial

Belize stands at a crossroads. Prime Minister John Briceño’s abrupt call for general elections on March 12, 2025, has sent shockwaves through the nation, igniting concerns of political manipulation and constitutional breaches. With the redistricting crisis unresolved, the electorate must now ask itself: Are we heading into an election that is already rigged in favor of the ruling elite?

For years, Belizeans have been fed hollow promises of reform, but when it comes to the fundamental fairness of our electoral system, the government has deliberately dragged its feet. The Belize Peace Movement (BPM) and other advocacy groups have long highlighted the dire need for redistricting to ensure fair representation. The 2019 consent order made it clear—the current electoral boundaries violate the Constitution. Yet, despite submitting a proposal in July 2023, the government has chosen to stall rather than implement necessary reforms.

Briceño’s Calculated Gamble

By rushing to the polls without addressing the redistricting issue, Briceño is making a calculated gamble that voters will be too distracted by political theatrics to notice the blatant disenfranchisement at play. His administration’s confidence in calling elections amid a pending legal challenge suggests an expectation that the courts will either delay any rulings or side with the government. But this is not just a political strategy—it is an outright attack on democracy.

The legal team representing claimants Jeremy Enriquez, Rudolph Norales, and Jessica Tulcey has made it clear: holding elections under outdated electoral boundaries is a constitutional violation. Their pre-action letter, sent by Senior Counsel Anand Ramlogan, requested a simple commitment from the government—five days’ notice before dissolving Parliament and calling an election. Instead of responding in good faith, the government’s attorneys at Courtenay Coye LLP dismissed the request outright, essentially telling the electorate, "We will do as we please."

Rigging the System: A Legacy of Electoral Abuse

This crisis is nothing new. For decades, Belize’s extractive political class has thrived by bending the rules to maintain power. Whether it is through strategic gerrymandering, voter suppression, or controlling the election calendar, the ruling elite has ensured that the system works for them—not the people. The current government’s refusal to implement redistricting is just another chapter in this long history of political deception.

Briceño’s recent statement that redistricting before the election is “too late” is nothing short of an admission of guilt. If the government was serious about electoral fairness, it had every opportunity to pass the necessary amendments months ago. Instead, it has chosen delay tactics to maintain its grip on power.

The Constitutional Crisis Ahead

By bulldozing ahead with elections under illegitimate electoral boundaries, Briceño is setting Belize up for a potential constitutional crisis. If the courts grant an injunction, the election process could be derailed entirely, plunging the nation into political chaos. If the elections proceed unchallenged, we risk entrenching a system where government-mandated electoral fraud becomes the norm.

Belizeans cannot afford to be passive spectators. The question before the nation is simple: Will we allow our democracy to be hijacked, or will we demand electoral justice?

A Call to Action: Belize Must Resist Political Exploitation

Voters must recognize that this election is not just about choosing the next government—it is about the very survival of democracy in Belize. The time has come for all Belizeans to reject this political manipulation and demand:

• Immediate implementation of redistricting before any election can proceed
• Judicial intervention to uphold the constitutional rights of voters
• Accountability from politicians who have continuously exploited the electoral system

The Prime Minister has made his move, but the Belizean people still have a choice. We can either submit to a fraudulent election or rise up and demand the democratic system we deserve. The world is watching. The time to act is now.