BELMOPAN, Belize (CMC) — Tracy Taegar-Panton has been sworn in as the first-ever woman to lead Belize’s main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) as the party seeks to end the internal divisions that have plagued it in recent months.

“The magnitude of the responsibility does not escape me. I have tried to be sober. While I’m super excited for Belize, I’m excited for the party. I think that the reset is necessary, and I do believe that we have an opportunity to rebuild and restore the trust and the confidence of the people, and that’s really what it’s about,” Taegar-Panton said.

Her elevation to the position follows months of legal wrangling with former party leader, Moses “Shyne” Barrow, resulting in Taegar-Panton launching her Alliance for Democracy within the UDP and a court battle in which Barrow was successful.

But as he stepped down from the leadership position, Barrow said he was engaging in the “peaceful” transfer of power.

“I pray that the creator imparts her with the wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and political will to execute effective strategies in the processes of our United Democratic Party so that we can enter the halls of the Sir Cane building once more when the next general elections are called,” he added.

Taegar-Panton, who became the first woman ever to lead a major political party in Belize, had won her seat in the March general elections this year, while Barrow was unsuccessful.

She later became the country’s first female leader of the Opposition.

In her new role as political leader, she is promising a fresh start and a bold vision for Belize’s future.

Also returning to the UDP is John Saldivar, who said that his experience and political know-how are exactly what the party needs to reunite.

In 2020, he won the leadership race to succeed Dean Barrow, only to be implicated hours later in United States documents linked to convicted fraudster Lev Dermen, who was at the centre of a massive fraud and money laundering scheme. The fallout forced Saldivar to resign as party leader and cost him his Cabinet post. Saldivar has repeatedly dismissed the allegations.

“I haven’t changed in terms of being the person that I’ve always been in politics. And like I said, the people know me, they know what I’m about. There have been some unfortunate circumstances and occurrences, which I believe have been explained,” he added.