Right off the announcement by Prime Minister of Belize, John Briceño‘s” announcement of upcoming General Elections to be held on March 12th, 2025.
A lawsuit has been filed to stop the upcoming general elections, arguing that the government failed to carry out a required redistricting process.
The claimants believe that moving forward with the elections without adjusting constituency boundaries violates the principle of equal representation. They point out that some voting districts have far more voters than others, which they say unfairly impacts the democratic process.
The government, however, insists that it has met its constitutional responsibilities by presenting redistricting proposals to the National Assembly.
Those behind the legal challenge want the elections postponed until the redistricting process is fully completed.
Jerry Enriquez, one of the claimants challenging the upcoming Belize General Elections, has issued a statement detailing their legal efforts to prevent the election from moving forward without redistricting.
According to Enriquez, the legal team initially requested prior notice from Senior Counsel Courtney to ensure they could seek an injunction before the Prime Minister officially called the election. However, after their request was denied yesterday evening, they immediately filed an injunction application to prevent the Prime Minister from proceeding until electoral boundaries are redrawn in compliance with Section 90 of the Constitution.
The claimants are now awaiting an emergency hearing from the Chief Justice and the Registrar, which they hope will take place this morning to ensure their case is heard in the public interest.
Despite this pending legal action, Prime Minister John Briceño has already dissolved Parliament and officially announced March 12, 2025, as the election date. Enriquez argues that this move appears to be a deliberate attempt to bypass judicial review, disregard due process, and weaken the rule of law.
“This raises serious concerns about constitutional integrity and the fundamental right of all Belizeans to free and fair elections,” Enriquez stated.
The case is now in the hands of the courts, as Belizeans await the next legal steps in this unfolding political battle.
