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The People's United Party (PUP) has won the 2021 Municipal Elections in San Pedro Town. Congratulations to Mayor elect Gualberto 'Wally' Nuñez, along with his team, Dianeli Aranda, Johnnia Duarte, Marina Kay, Adaly Ayuso, Jose Castellanos, and Ernesto Bardalez.

Newly elected Mayor of San Pedro Town under the People's United Party (PUP) Gualberto 'Wally' Núñez thanks the island community for the opportunity to lead their town. The PUP won all seven seats (1 Mayoral and 6 councilors) on la Isla Bonita.





SAN PEDRO SUN

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Mayor Wally Nunez's first public address as PUP wins all San Pedro Town Council Seats.

OFFICAL NUMBERS:
Mayor - Nunez Wally - 3,462
Councilor - Aranda Dianeli - 3,231
Councilor - Bardalez Ernesto - 2,994
Councilor - Castellanos Jose - 3,080
Councilor - Graniel Kay Marina - 3,146
Councilor - Guerrero Ayuso Adaly - 3,099
Councilor - Rivero Duarte Johnnia - 3,026

Mayor Candidate - Gonzalez Ruben - 1,701
Councilor Candidate - Azueta Jazelie - 2,092
Councilor Candidate - Cobb Lorraine -1,952
Councilor Candidate - Cordova Richard - 2,007
Councilor Candidate - Gabourel Kent - 2,303
Councilor Candidate- Gonzalez Raul - 1,969
Councilor Candidate - McCorkle Marceli - 2,072

Total number of votes cast - 36,134

After 18 years under a UDP leadership, San Pedro has a PUP Town Council; Wally Nuñez is Mayor

The People's United Party (PUP) slate, led by Mayoral candidate Gualberto 'Wally' Nuñez, was declared the winner of the 2021 Municipal Elections held on Wednesday, March 3rd in San Pedro Town. The swap in power brought an end to almost two decades of control by the United Democratic Party (UDP), which has governed the island since 2003. Nuñez and his six councillors, Johnnia Duarte, Adaly Ayuso, Marina Kay, Jose Castellanos, Ernesto Bardalez and Dianeli Aranda thanked islanders for the trust in giving them the opportunity to serve San Pedro for the next three years. In his first words as Mayor elect, Nuñez said his team will count with an eighth member, beside his six councillors. "We also have Mr. Andre Perez as our Area Representative," he said. "We thank the people of San Pedro for that vote of confidence, we will work for you guys, and we are here for you. Tomorrow is a new day, we are going to the town council to start working." Nuñez said that one of the first things in his agenda is to start working for the people and also conduct an audit of the town council, looking at the administration headed by former Mayor Daniel Guerrero.

UDP Mayoral candidate Ruben 'Rux' Gonzalez, a past councillor, said his team of fresh new councillors into the political arena was a sign of a new and dynamic administration. He was confident that people would give him and his brand new team the chance to continue serving San Pedro. Out of the 7,983 registered voters, 69.22% the electorate came out and cast their vote. This was the second highest in the country after Corozal Town reported a 72% turnout.

Click here to read the rest of the article in the San Pedro Sun

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San Pedro Wakes Up To New Mayor Wally Nunez And His Six Councilors

In his very first speech to San Pedro, newly elect Mayor Wally Nuñez embraced Area Rep Honorable Andre Perez to his working team. Wally said, "I do not have a slate anymore. I have TEAM EIGHT, " and he looked at Andre Perez to welcome him to his working team. Wally went on to thank God, his campaign team, campaign manager Edwardo Aguilar, and the people of San Pedro that gave him overwhelming support at the polls. Wally added that he is ready to work.

Municipal Elections were conducted countrywide with candidates contesting a total of 67 seats - nine mayoral and 58 councilor seats. The People's United Party registered wins across the nation, registering another massive sweep of the country's elections; the United Democratic Party had suffered a huge defeat just three months ago on November 11, 2020. Simultaneous to the Municipal Elections was a by-election in the Corozal Bay Division following the death of PUP Area Representative, David 'Dido' Vega as a result of Covid-19 exactly one month after the November 2020 elections. Contesting that election was four-time Corozal Town Mayor, Hilberto Campos (UDP), who went up against sister of David Vega, Elvia Vega-Samos (PUP). That election saw the PUP winning unofficially with large numbers.

Click here to read the rest of the article in the Ambergris Today

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Mayor-Elect Gualberto 'Wally' Nuñez and newly elected councilors make their first appearance at the San Pedro Town Hall, accompanied by Hon. Andre Perez, Minister of the Blue Economy and Civil Aviation and Area Representative of Belize Rural South, to get familiarized with the Council's staff, operations, and Town Hall.

San Pedro Flipped Blue

San Pedro Town flipped over to the blue side. The island saw close to 70 % of its voters come out to send the UDP packing.

Our Back to the Ballots correspondent Natasha Stuart was on the ground until the streets were bare at 1:00 am. But, before the votes were counted, she caught up with both mayoral candidates.

But despite Gonzalez's positivity, Gualberto "Wally" Nunez was the one to give his victory speech at the end of the night.

Channel 7

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San Pedro Town is Blue after 18 Years!

It took the People's United Party eighteen years to regain municipal government control in San Pedro.  But it did so in convincing fashion on Wednesday, snagging all six councilor seats and the mayoral position as well.  Although many thought it would be a nail-biting neck and neck finish, with perhaps even a split council, the P.U.P. proved that it was the residents' favourite party. This comes off the heels of the November eleventh victory when Andre Perez also overwhelmingly beat his U.D.P. predecessor, Manuel Heredia Junior for the Belize Rural South seat in central government.  Election correspondent Marion Ali covered the elections for us from the polls opened until the last vote was counted.  Reporter Andrea Polanco brings us that story tonight.

Andrea Polanco, Reporting

At the opening of polls, a few early-risers made their way to the two Polling Stations, the San Pedro High School and the Roman Catholic Primary School to cast their votes.  But by nine, lines had formed and extended all the way to the nearest block at both locations.  By the look of things, no one could tell who was the favourite man and team - the P.U.P.'s Wally Nunez and his slate or the U.D.P.'s Ruben Gonzalez and his councilor candidates.  Gonzalez had served for two terms as Councillor before, and he told News Five earlier in the day that the concerns people had were over infrastructure, primarily in the newer parts of the town that are still in the development stage.

Ruben Gonzalez, U.D.P. Mayoral Candidate, San Pedro

"There's a lot of streets that need to be worked on and we have some plans, we think that we should put a maintenance group for streets and also we are going to work on a drainage system.  Yes, we did reach - well not everyone that we wanted to, but we reached about ninety percent of the people. We also had our other executive members that were helping us in the other areas where we couldn't reached. They were just issuing pamphlets and so on."

The P.U.P.'s Wally Nunez shared his view that the U.D.P. could not deliver satisfactorily over the eighteen years that it had held the municipal office and that now, it was time for real growth and infrastructure development.

Wally Nunez, Mayor-elect, San Pedro

"The people have felt that they have been neglected in most of the areas of San Pedro and this is way before COVID so we cannot blame COVID for what has been the mismanagement. We have long-term plans and short-term plans and the long term plans we know we can start because we have a central government that is P.U.P. and we have all the backup from the government, we have the backup from our minister, we have the backup from the Prime Minister as well."

Nunez's predecessor, Daniel Guerrero, who has denied allegations that the outgoing council had transferred ownership of golf carts belonging to the council to outgoing councilors, told News Five that after serving for nine years, he decided to throw in the towel because of the COVID-19 pandemic and because he wanted to spend quality time with his grandchildren.  But he has his eyes on the bigger stage, he warned.

Daniel Guerrero, Outgoing Mayor, San Pedro

"I decided, let me relax for a while and see what happens. But in the mean time, I will be studying and observing what's going on in the national politics of Belize. At no point I'm retiring, I am just taking a moment of relaxation. I want to see what's going on first. I am not saying that I will be stepping in there, but I want to watch. I have politics in my blood so I will be there for a while."

For a few hours during the day, there was a lull in voter turnout, and then a trickle that grew into another line of voters toward the closing hours of the polls.

After the six o'clock cut-off point, the ballot boxes that were at the Roman Catholic Primary School were shuttled to the San Pedro High School campus where the counting of ballots took place.
After the political parties’ counting agents were allowed on the compound, the Police closed the iron gate for the counting to begin. The official results were not released until after midnight, when Returning Officer Martin Alegria confirmed what had already been the prediction.

Martin Alegria, Returning Officer, San Pedro Town

"The number of votes cast for Mister Wally Nunez for mayor is three thousand four hundred and sixty-two. For Mister Ruben Gonzalez for mayor is seventeen-zero-one. Therefore, the mayorship of San Pedro Town has been won by Mister Wally Nunez."

Nunez says that his council's first task upon taking office will be to conduct an audit of the finances and assets. Reporting for News Five, I'm Andrea Polanco.

Channel 5

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PUP Victory Parade.