Tonight, the opposition UDP is at a dangerous crossroads - after a recall petition was lodged against Party Leader Patrick Faber.
It is unprecedented - the first formal take down of a mass party leader in Belize's history. Jules Vasquez was at UDP headquarters at 3:00 this afternoon when it went down. Here's his report:
History was made today when Tony Herrera and Phillip Willoughby pulled up at the UDP Headquarters with a folder:
Jules Vasquez
"Sir look like you have a very important document there."
Tony Herrera
"Yes Jules, we're going in to hand in the recall petition and we will come up and continue, we just want to get it over with."
Jules Vasquez
"So you have it in your hand."
Tony Herrera
"Yes sir, we shall tell you all about it, we're going to get it in and come out back"
And as simple as that they walked right into the UDP headquarters to take out their own party leader, the man whose image floats above the very headquarters they went into.
It is history written in lowercase, not the shock and awe of a coup, but the
pedantic procedural details of a signature laden recall petition:
Tony Herrera
"The constitution called for 172, we got 290 signatures from 26 different constituencies here and this mainly to recall the party leader of our party."
Jules Vasquez
"So how important is that you all surpass that threshold by over 118 signatures?"
Tony Herrera
"Well Jules this is a resounding answer from the delegates, this is the rank and file of the party. So for us to go over 172 means a lot for us and also for the party it sends a clear message to where we want to go."
Jules Vasquez
"So what in here that 290 of the delegates of the UDP seriously don't want Patrick Faber is their leader? It's not like Dean Barrow the wait behind the door to come back, you all don't have many options sir."
Tony Herrera
"Well right now at this point we're taking it one step at a time Jules. This was 26 constituencies."
Jules Vasquez
"How significant is that I'm told signatures on that are included from Mesopotamia, from Queen Square and from Corozal North. These are constituency of 3 of the 5 UDP members of the house of representatives."
Tony Herrera
"That's very important because it's not only the people like you said the ones that loss, this is also the parliamentarians that are not satisfied with the way that our party leader is leading this party."
Reporter
"What was so egregiously wrong that the party leader did for them to willingly sign these petitions?"
Tony Herrera
"We are not here to expose everything, we're trying to handle everything internally best as we can but it's 290 resounding you know. Obviously there is something wrong and I'm not here to disclose what is wrong, one thing I can say is that we are not happy in the way he's leading, he's not fit to lead."
Reporter
"How do you respond to the comments that this is being led by disgruntled members who may just have personal beef with Mr. Faber and not just a single video that he has apologizes for is really the problem."
Tony Herrera
"You are absolutely right. I don't think it's disgruntled members because he was not gone public and said that I don't like Tony Herrera, I don't like Phillip Willoughby, this is how we feel as a party."
Reporter
"There must have been someone who led this charge, who led this charge Mr. Herrera?"
Tony Herrera
"Well I will refer to uncut that Jules said about the caucus for change. We have a caucus for change that is made up about 20 to 22 aspiring standard bearers and present standard bearers. So it's a group effort that came to this where we are today."
Reporter
"But no one the people have indicated they have confidence in."
Tony Herrera
"You can ask who you want, you can call the names and I will whistle, so that's alright. You can ask me the direct question and I will answer it."
Jules Vasquez
"Sir John Saldivar posted he will spearhead the effort."
Tony Herrera
"Well John is a leader in our group, our group is comprised of about 3 or 4 leaders collectively as the core of the caucus for change but I want to clear publicly this is not about John Saldivar, this about the UDP. John has stated openly that he has no interest in leading at this time."
Jules Vasquez
"Now 290 is still not what would be needed at the national convention. At the national convention you would have to get about 355 of the delegates to vote in favor of such a nomination. 290 to 355 is still 65 difference."
Tony Herrera
"I agree with you Jules but as I tell you this was fast, we went out there, we got 290 signatures quickly, we are more and sure we can pass that 355 when crunch time comes along and we have to go to a convention."
Jules Vasquez
"But you all don't seriously want to do that, what you all would prefer is that Mr. Faber would see these 290 signatures and send in his resignation, that's what you all want."
Tony Herrera
"Exactly, we would want to end this thing in a peaceful way and we can continue doing the party business that we need to rebuild this party again."
Jules Vasquez
"The party cannot be rebuilt without a leader, I'm saying that, is it Tracy Panton to lead, who would lead?"
Tony Herrera
"I would say one more time Jules, we'll take it one step at a time. You know when the Vatican is looking for a pope, you see the white smoke right? We'll have that, you don't worry about that."
Jules Vasquez
"You the come for a man head today, you must have another head to put there. Like what kind of endgame are you all looking at?"
Tony Herrera
"Don't worry about that Jules, I say we'll take it one step at a time."
One step at a time, but with the UDP it's hard to know if the party his stepping backward or forward and, so, today, while the message was historic, the messengers were not quite that:
Jules Vasquez
"You guys are like it or not messengers of history. How do you feel about being in this particular moment?"
Tony Herrera
"We feel proud and I would like to thank my colleagues in the caucus for change. I mean we are in a crisis and you know that, so we feel happy today we can that history and change the course, the direction our party will go."
Jules Vasquez
"How would you answer the criticism that why send Tony Herrera? Tony is not a former elected official or representative and second, Tony is a PUP, Tony originally is a PUP. I'm just saying that symbolically its not like they sent the strongest messenger of the UDP DNA. How would you answer that criticism?"
Tony Herrera
"Jules I am a UDP, I said it open even in my campaign I was a PUP and I will not deny that but at the end of the day it's been said that there has to be a new vision to take this party out and I am part of that new vision, I am new, I am vibrant and energetic, so they didn't make a bad choice in sending me, they elected me as a group to come and deliver this, I am the new vision of the UDP Jules."
Days to come will tell if that vision will be realised or rejected - but for now - the UDP is facing a leadership crisis unlike any other it has seen before.
So, what's next for the UDP? Well, any recall petition still has to go the a national convention where two third's of the delegates, or 340 of them would have to vote to support it, which is a high threshold. But, one thing we know is that the party chairman has gone on record to say he is duty bound to consider any such recall petition. So, that has been forwarded to his desk now. Party Leader Faber has not responded to requests for comment.
