And in other news of divisions within a political entity, John Saldivar appeared on Sunup on 7 this morning. The Belmopan convention candidate rarely appears on morning shows, but appeared today to promote his last week of campaigning heading into Sunday's big showdown against Emil Torres and George Lovell.
His party Leader Shyne Barrow has endorsed Lovell and told voters to support anyone except Saldivar. Today, Saldivar said, so what? Who's Shyne?:
John Saldivar, UDP Aspirant, Belmopan
"I don't want to put any focus on Shyne Barrow or the leadership. That will come down the road when there is a leadership convention, we decide what we want to do, if we want to keep him or we want to change him - that will happen in the natural course of things. He has done what we have done, I have made my statement about his flip-flopping, his changing position, but that doesn't affect me in any way in Belmopan and that is my aim to win Belmopan."
Host
"But I could see how that could affect you in the whole general elections and in the faith of the United Democratic Party."
John Saldivar, UDP Aspirant, Belmopan
"I don't agree with you again and its going to be proven."
Host
"He is the leader of the party, he's publicly come out and say vote for anybody but you."
John Saldivar, UDP Aspirant, Belmopan
"He needs to decide his future. He needs to decide what he will do after I win my convention on February 5th. That's not for me to decide, he needs to decide what he will do. He has said certain things and I thought that he was out of order to say it and I have said that publicly. I think he was wrong, its unprecedented. There is no party leader that has ever call for one of his own to be investigated and arrested. I have no feeling toward him, because he is no consequence, he is no relevance to what's happening in Belmopan."
And, not only is he unfazed by his own party leader, Saldivar says he is more than ever emboldened in his anti-U.S. stance after feeling the support on the ground. In fact, he went so far as to say he embraces the principles of good governance:
John Saldivar, UDP Aspirant, Belmopan
"If I tell you what I really stand for, you're going to think I'm taking it for a joke, but I do stand for honesty and integrity in public life and that is how I have conducted myself in public life. I believe that the effect of the US designation will show on Sunday that's its negligeable. They have not provided any evidence to the people of Belmopan of my corruption. They have simply made a statement and people are not unfair. People believe in justice. Some people might not, but a majority of people believe in justice and what I have been hearing on the ground is that they cant come here to dictate anything and cant come here to accuse you and not provide no evidence to us, so we are not believing them."
Host
"The public perception is that you've been involved in corruption."
John Saldivar, UDP Aspirant, Belmopan
"No, I've been accused."
Host
"How are you confident that people are going to turn out?"
John Saldivar, UDP Aspirant, Belmopan
"Because I have been walking and talking to the people and I have heard what they said and that's why I am saying to you it's not public perception, it is the perception of some. So what happens on the 6th and I understand Jules is going to have his final beef on 6th. What happens next week Monday after I win the convention? Do you still say it is public perception?"
And Saldivar's chest thumping may be on point. A new poll says he has a massive lead on the competition. Later on in the news we'll have the results of that poll and talk to the Assistant UB Professor who designed it.
