Tonight, hearts hang heavy across Belize - as Belize's second Prime Minister Sir Manuel Esquivel is dead. The 81 year old died at 4:30 this evening at Belize Medical Associates - he had been ailing for some time after a fall some months ago.
Esquivel was elected Prime Minister in 1984 - for Belize's first ever change of government, and then again in 1993, winning an unlikely victory when an over-confident George Price led PUP called a snap election.
His historical importance in post Independence Belize is hard to overstate - apart from being the first leader to make Belize's democracy real when he led the UDP to its first victory - he also took the country from the brink of devaluation shifted the country's economic focus to a more investment oriented climate - especially open to tourism investment.
But, on a personal level, Sir Manuel was about as strange a figure as one is ever likely to meet in politics. In fact, he was an anti-politician, a school teacher who taught physics and was brought into politics as a type of "Honest Abe" character by his colleagues in the untested Liberal Party - which joined a coalition to form the UDP.
He died today with an unimpeachable reputation for integrity in public life known for the dispassionate rigor in his analysis.
Today, his colleague of many decades - from the 70's to the 2000's Michael Finnegan remembered him:
Micheal Finnegan, UDP Colleague of Esquivel
"This young impeccable school teacher from St. John's College rescued a united Democratic Party that was consumed with turmoil, confusion, leadership ambition and after his rescuing the party by taking over its leadership, he rescued this country from a 30 year-old entrenched PUP government and gave the United Democratic Party its first election victory in 1984. In the Esquivel era when we formed the United Democratic Party, the United Democratic Party was basically formed with Manuel Esquivel, Dean Lindo, Harry Lawrence, Paul Rodriguez, Curl Thompson, Kenneth Tillett, Lion Tillett, myself as the youngest person of the group."
"In those days politics was not what you could get from the politician, politics is what you were able to give to your political party. In those days it was a beauty to campaign along with Manuel Esquivel and the others. It was a beauty because they were actually selling people a philosophy that they believe was the right one, a philosophy of honesty, of truth and of economic development."
And from his contemporary in the formative years of the UDP, to a young man who grew up admiring the strong, stoic leader, UDP Chairman Michael Peyrefitte shared his recollection half an hour ago:
Hon. Michael Peyrefitte, UDP Party Member
"Sir Manuel was a serious man, is not a trifling individual, super serious and always about integrity and principle and processes. So was not as much fun as in the word "fun" in observing Sir Manuel, but it was always great admiration and respect I had for Sir Manuel. Growing up as a young boy in 1984 when he first became prime minister, he was a stickler for principle, a stickler for honesty, for integrity and he was always used as the measuring stick by all of us in the party when you are trying to emulate someone that would be an example of what a public servant should be. Sir Manuel was always our conscience, Sir Manuel was always someone you can called in whenever we would be in trouble and the respect that he commanded and the words that he always gave us, they were always inspiring, they always made us feel proud to be members of United Democratic Party."
"My fondest memories of Sir Manuel Esquivel were centered around seeing him in action and having great admiration for a person who would stand up to anybody and to anyone for his principles and to always ensure that the best interest of Belize are always at the forefront of everything."
And, now to Esquivel in his own words. The UDP's Shane Williams produced a documentary some years ago that looked at his uniqueness and his contribution. We selected a few clips like this one where Esquivel spoke about the conflict between truth, science and propaganda:
Rt. Hon. Sir Manuel Esquivel, Fmr. Prime Minister
"I immediately say the conflict between the truth of sides and the propaganda of politics and they just don't fit and I thought I could offer something being in both worlds, because we were part of a group called "the liberal party" and that was good, because its started off with a pipe dream, now I know, but it was a pipe dream. It gradually disappeared, you would left with the pipe."
Kathy Esquivel, Wife
"When friends of his, at the time the People's United Party was the only party that had ever been in power and they'd been in power since self-government and so it was already 20 years and a lot of people were concerned that without a real opposition there was nothing to check wrong directions, a tendency towards one leader, anti-democracy and so I think the people that recruited Manuel that was their major concern."
Rt. Hon. Sir Manuel Esquivel, Fmr. Prime Minister
"And you needed to convince people yes, we are doing the right thing, but you are doing the right thing, but not for your own benefit. As a politician you should be doing things what is the best thing for people."
Kathy Esquivel, Wife
"I think he is a man of great integrity, a very firm marrow compass, he know what's right, he knows what's wrong and he is very careful not to cross the line."
Esquivel's family issued a statement this evening saying, "It is with deep sadness that the Esquivel family announces the death of the Rt Hon Dr Sir Manuel Esquivel KCMG, which occurred on Feb 10, 2022. An announcement will be made in the coming days regarding his Memorial Service." End quote.
Esquivel was the father of three children and husband to his wife Kathy. We'll have more on his passing in the days to come.
