By Belize Live News Staff: The United Democratic Party (UDP) has launched a pointed attack on the People’s United Party government, declaring that Belize is under siege by crime and violence, and demanding urgent action.
In a strongly worded statement from the Leader of the Opposition, the party said the country is a nation in crisis, citing the recent double murder in San Pedro and the killing of 16-year-old Isiah Noralez in Dangriga as tragic and unmistakable signs of the times. The UDP joined affected communities and the wider public in mourning the loss of life.
Central to the statement was an urgent appeal to Prime Minister John Briceño and his Cabinet. The party said Belizeans need more than words, calling for strategic leadership within the Belize Police Department and for the government to confront the crisis with urgency, courage, and determination. It insisted that the public needs to see that the administration grasps the seriousness of the moment.
The Opposition framed crime as a threat to every Belizean, regardless of background. It stressed that violence does not wear party colours, and that the victims are children, friends, neighbours, and family members, with no one immune to the danger.
Striking a more collaborative note, the UDP said it is ready to be part of the solution. The party pledged its support for any genuine effort to protect lives, restore public safety, strengthen law enforcement, and rebuild trust in the country’s police agencies, describing crime and violence as a shared problem that must become a shared priority.
The statement was also sharply critical of the administration. The party accused the government of being aloof and out of touch with the struggles many Belizeans face, and called for greater focus on the needs of the nation rather than on the interests of what it termed the favoured few. Those remarks represent the Opposition’s political viewpoint.
In closing, the UDP cautioned that the country cannot keep accepting the killing of its people as normal, or continue moving from tragedy to tragedy. The party extended its condolences to grieving families and wished peace to the souls of those who have died.
