THE PUP DIVIDE: UPDATE ON THE OLD GUARD'S ANTICS

UNCLAS BELMOPAN 000506


WHA/CEN (ROIS BEAL)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR
SUBJECT: THE PUP DIVIDE: UPDATE ON THE OLD GUARD'S ANTICS

REF: (A) Belmopan 172, (B) Belmopan 187, (C) Belmopan 503


1. The People's United Party (PUP) has remained relatively quiet
following its staggering defeat in the February general elections
(ref A). Recently though, internecine struggles have resurfaced as
former PMs Said Musa and George Price (sometimes referred to as the
father of the nation) lent their support to a convention that backed
Florencio Marin, Jr., for standard bearer in the northern district
of Corozal. The convention was held in open defiance of John
Briceno, party leader, and his executive team. Despite warnings
from the party leader that any convention held without executive
committee concurrence would not be officially recognized, Florencio
Marin, Jr., who is supported by most of the old PUP guard, went
ahead with the convention and won the nomination unchallenged. In
addition to aggravating the strained relations between Briceno and
Musa's cronies, the support from the old guard was seen as an
attempt to regain control of the party and garner support for Musa
who was formally charged with theft in court on December 4 (ref B
and C).


2. Briceno issued a statement that the executive committee
considers the convention results null and void and informed the
public that when the party decides on dates for national
conventions, the northern district of Corozal must hold another
convention for election of standard bearer.


3. Briceno moved quickly to penalize the old guard. The national
executive committee sent letters of reprimand to Francis Fonseca and
Florencio Marin, Jr., expelled the Chairman of the Corozal Southeast
constituency, and suspended all of the members of the branch
committee, including Florencio Marin, Sr., former Minister of
Natural Resources.


4. Comment: The political infighting occurring in the PUP proves
again that the old guard is just not ready to depart from the scene.
Their commitment to making it difficult if not impossible for the
new party leader to reunite and refocus the party is unyielding.
Their actions indicate the old guard is willing to lose seats in the
upcoming municipal elections by dividing the party and sandbagging
the newly elected party leadership in an effort to reclaim power in
the longer term. This does not bode well for the PUP's performance
in the March municipal elections and suggests we may see the old
players muddying the waters for some time to come. End Comment.

DIFFILY