He's been the UDP candidate in Orange Walk East since 2015, but Elodio Aragon today announced that he is resigning.
In a release, Aragon said, quote, "the Orange Walk UDP East Executive and Committees, and myself, have decided to withdraw my candidacy from the 2025 General Elections. This decision has not been an easy one for me, my executive and committees; and it is only after deep, and careful analysis and consideration of all that has and is transpiring, primarily within the United Democratic Party, that we have decided not to contest this upcoming election. We feel that at this time it is untenable and disheartening to us in the East, and not fair to those whom we represent, care for and serve; especially since we believe that these issues will not be resolved before the general elections." End quote.
Notably, Aragon, who had switched allegiance from Shyne Barrow to Tracy Panton in late October sent his letter of resignation to both leaders yesterday. He told us why in a Zoom call:
Elodio Aragon, Resigns as Orange Walk East Standard Bearer
"I think everybody knows where I stand. Everybody knows that I support Tracy, right? But it's just a matter that I put it out there because these are two people who are basically vying or what I would say, trying to lead this party."
Jules Vasquez
"UDP is in your DNA. It's not an easy thing to turn your back on your own party in its time of greatest need. How difficult was the decision personally for you?"
Elodio Aragon, Resigns as Orange Walk East Standard Bearer
"Well, definitely, Jules. First, I want to clarify, I'm not turning my back on the UDP. I am a UDP and will always be a UDP. You know, it is just at this present time, Jules, and I think I don't have to go into elaborate details, but everybody knows the situation right now. Sad situation."
Jules Vasquez
"By you resigning at this time when we know elections are probably weeks away, are you accepting that the UDP is going to lose in Orange Walk East? It's going to be a walkover for the PUP. You were the last line of defense for the UDP in Orange Walk East. And even so, you were not favored to win."
Elodio Aragon, Resigns as Orange Walk East Standard Bearer
"Well, Jules, right now at this point in time, anybody in opposition, whatever party is in opposition, it's always a fight, right?"
Jules Vasquez
"The reason you're walking away at this time is not so much because of the state of dissarray and disunity in which a party finds itself. The reason you are walking away is because you switch from Shyne to Tracy. It is now becoming clear Tracy will not be able to call herself a UDP. And so now you are forced with the same decision that face Omar Figueroa, return to Shyne so that you can have the UDP name or stay with Tracy and end up running independent, which would be a repudiation of your roots, for someone like you steeped in the blood of the UDP, it would feel like negating your very political lineage or existence."
Elodio Aragon, Resigns as Orange Walk East Standard Bearer
"Yeah, I think you have that all wrong, and definitely that is not the reason."
"You know, I stand on principle always, and if I said I was with Tracy supporting her, then I am with her. The reality is that one, I don't think that that scenario that you just put is the reason why we are not running here."
"Remember, I had to seek consultation with my committee, and a lot of people in my own committee have said, you know what, what is happening, everything that is happening at this point in time, it's not the right time."
Aragon says he nor his committee expect to have any hand in finding a replacement. It's possible that both Shyne Barrow and Tracy Panton may field their own candidates in that constituency. But, like all things UDP, that is unclear. We do know that Panton today circulated a flyer with only 12 candidates - all draped in red - but again, without any use of the UDP party name.
