Ruling UDP wins Belize elections

BELMOPAN, Belize – The ruling United Democratic Party (UDP) of Prime Minister Dean Barrow has won the general election by the narrowest of margins, according to preliminary results released here.
The UDP won 16 of the 31 seats at stake in the election, with the main opposition People’s United Party (PUP) winning 14 seats. One seat is yet to be declared.
In the last general election, the UDP had won 25 seats.
Prime Minister Dean Barrow said before the election his first act, if re-elected, would be to renegotiate the terms of Belize’s so-called superbond, which makes up half the country’s debt and 40 per cent of gross domestic product.
Belize is the 13th most indebted country in the world and faces a schedule of rising interest rates over the next 12 months. (CMC)