By Belize Live News Staff: As the PUP prepares for general elections, the UDP faces internal chaos, with its leadership and branding under scrutiny. The question of who will officially claim the party’s traditional color, red, has become a focal point of contention. Tracy Panton recently announced her candidacy for the UDP, but key figures like Shyne Barrow and Michael Peyrefitte have reiterated that there are no plans to reinstate Patrick Faber or other expelled members.
The issue of color recognition is now in the hands of the Chief Elections Officer, who will determine which faction has the right to use the color red. According to Henry Charles Usher, the Chief Elections Officer plays a crucial role in such decisions, as Elections and Boundaries do not formally recognize political parties, but rather the individual candidates running for office.
Traditionally, the PUP runs with blue and the UDP with red, but Usher noted that this is more of a convention than a legal mandate. He added, “Ultimately, the Chief Elections Officer will decide which faction gets to claim the color.”
As the UDP’s internal divisions persist, the battle over its identity—including its symbolic colors—adds another layer of complexity to the party’s preparations for the upcoming elections.
