And while it’s all roses between Musa and Briceno – things aren’t so happy between Briceno and his former Senator Hector Silva. As we told you last night Silva appears to be none to happy about his being ousted as Senator. He made it known in an email that he is not for sale, implying that others are. Today Briceno was not so unkind.
Johnny Briceno,
“I met with Don Hector in San Ignacio probably the Monday before I made the final decision and I did speak to him and I did tell him that I am considering changing some members of the senate and then on the day that I made the decision I called him. I didn’t get through to him here, I did not know he was out of the country but I did speak with him all the way in Guatemala to inform him of the decision and thanking him for the work that he has done and I expected for him to continue to work for the PUP.”
Jules Vasquez,
“So he should not be shocked as he claimed to have been as he was removed as Senator and that he was replaced?”
Johnny Briceno,
“That is something between you and him, you can discuss about him being shocked. But I sat down with him Cahal Pech on a Monday and we discussed it but this is not something I want to go back and forth with Don Hector.”
Jules Vasquez,
“But either you did or you didn’t tell him he is being replaced by Eamon Courtenay. Did you tell him Don Hector, time’s up, you’re being replaced by Eamon Courtenay?”
Johnny Briceno,
“You are saying he was replaced by Eamon Courtenay. We made a replacement. It wasn’t for anybody. We changed two senators and we put in two other senators. It is not one for the other. I met with him in San Ignacio, I told him I am considering making some changes in the Senate and that we felt that we are having a difficult legislative agenda ahead of us and that we needed a stronger voice in the Senate. I did not tell him specifically that he was going to be changed tomorrow, I said I am contemplating it.
When I made that decision which was the following week, I called him. It is only after I called him that I found out that he was not in the country. Then I called him in Guatemala and I spoke personally to him and informing him of the decision I made and thanking him for the service he had given us during that time of need.”
As for Bill Lindo, the party executive member who’s criticized Briceno for selling out to Michael Ashcroft by making Eamon Courtenay a senator, Briceno would only say that Lindo is a special character.
