# 1989 Belizean general election

General elections were held in Belize on 4 September 1989. The result was a narrow victory for the People's United Party, which won 15 of the 28 seats. The United Democratic Party lost its supermajority, moving into opposition. Voter turnout was 72.6%.

## Background

The ruling United Democratic Party was finishing its first term and sought re-election on the basis of improved economic indicators and standard of living. The People's United Party painted them as lusting after foreign aid and recognition, particularly from the United States and Taiwan.
Another issue was national security; the PUP attacked a CIA-like operation known as the Secret Intelligence Service as being a spy network for the UDP and promised freedom of the press and other fundamental freedoms enshrined in the constitution.
Longtime PUP leader George Cadle Price returned to both the House of Representatives and as prime minister after his surprise ouster in the 1984 election, winning the Pickstock constituency in the Belize District.

## Results

| | People's United Party | 29,986 | 50.87 | 15 | +8 |
| | United Democratic Party | 28,900 | 49.02 | 13 | –8 |
| | Independents | 65 | 0.11 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 58,951 | 100.00 | 28 | 0 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 58,951 | 98.33 | | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 1,003 | 1.67 | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 59,954 | 100.00 | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 82,556 | 72.62 | | |
| Source: Elections and Boundaries Department ||||||

### By constituency

| Division | Electorate | Turnout | % | Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
| Caribbean Shores | 2,779 | 1,745 | 62.7 | Manuel Esquivel | United Democratic Party | 957 | 54.8 |
| Caribbean Shores | 2,779 | 1,745 | 62.7 | Louis Humphreys | People's United Party | 775 | 44.4 |
| Freetown | 2,771 | 1,774 | 64.0 | Derek Aikman | United Democratic Party | 961 | 54.2 |
| Freetown | 2,771 | 1,774 | 64.0 | Araceli "Lita" Hunter Krohn | People's United Party | 783 | 44.1 |
| Pickstock | 2,453 | 1,514 | 61.7 | George Cadle Price | People's United Party | 906 | 59.8 |
| Pickstock | 2,453 | 1,514 | 61.7 | Cyril Davis | United Democratic Party | 584 | 34.5 |
| Fort George | 2,833 | 1,780 | 62.8 | Said Musa | People's United Party | 1,105 | 62.0 |
| Fort George | 2,833 | 1,780 | 62.8 | Dean Lindo | United Democratic Party | 656 | 36.8 |
| Lake Independence | 3,376 | 2,115 | 62.6 | Carlos Diaz | People's United Party | 1,091 | 51.5 |
| Lake Independence | 3,376 | 2,115 | 62.6 | Hubert Elrington | United Democratic Party | 978 | 46.2 |
| Albert | 2,393 | 1,397 | 58.0 | Phillip Goldson | United Democratic Party | 812 | 58.1 |
| Albert | 2,393 | 1,397 | 58.0 | Roy Young | People's United Party | 560 | 40.0 |
| Collet | 2,656 | 1,616 | 60.8 | Remijio Montejo | People's United Party | 940 | 58.2 |
| Collet | 2,656 | 1,616 | 60.8 | Frank Lizama | United Democratic Party | 661 | 40.9 |
| Mesopotamia | 2,818 | 1,570 | 55.7 | Curl Thompson | United Democratic Party | 834 | 53.1 |
| Mesopotamia | 2,818 | 1,570 | 55.7 | Stephen Latchman | People's United Party | 713 | 45.4 |
| Queen's Square | 2,896 | 1,697 | 58.5 | Dean Barrow | United Democratic Party | 1,085 | 63.9 |
| Queen's Square | 2,896 | 1,697 | 58.5 | Tom Greenwood | People's United Party | 588 | 34.6 |
| Port Loyola | 3,002 | 1,759 | 58.5 | Henry Young | United Democratic Party | 991 | 56.3 |
| Port Loyola | 3,002 | 1,759 | 58.5 | Ernest Staine | People's United Party | 695 | 39.5 |
| Belize Rural North | 2,469 | 1,653 | 66.9 | Samuel Rhaburn | United Democratic Party | 806 | 48.8 |
| Belize Rural North | 2,469 | 1,653 | 66.9 | Ewing Maxwell Samuels | People's United Party | 760 | 45.9 |
| Belize Rural North | 2,469 | 1,653 | 66.9 | Rufus X | Independent | 65 | 3.9 |
| Belize Rural South | 3,350 | 2,297 | 68.5 | Glenn Godfrey | People's United Party | 1489 | 64.8 |
| Belize Rural South | 3,350 | 2,297 | 68.5 | Rudolph Thompson | United Democratic Party | 762 | 33.2 |
| Orange Walk North | 2,982 | 2,641 | 88.5 | Ruben Campos | United Democratic Party | 1338 | 50.6 |
| Orange Walk North | 2,982 | 2,641 | 88.5 | Santiago Rosado | People's United Party | 1,256 | 47.5 |
| Orange Walk Central | 2,717 | 2,170 | 79.8 | Leopoldo Briceno | People's United Party | 1144 | 52.7 |
| Orange Walk Central | 2,717 | 2,170 | 79.8 | Leliz Carballo | United Democratic Party | 1,010 | 46.5 |
| Orange Walk East | 3,264 | 2,706 | 82.9 | Elodio Aragon | United Democratic Party | 1464 | 54.1 |
| Orange Walk East | 3,264 | 2,706 | 82.9 | Ramon Cervantes | People's United Party | 1195 | 44.2 |
| Orange Walk South | 3,057 | 2,743 | 81.7 | Guadalupe Pech | People's United Party | 1,378 | 50.2 |
| Orange Walk South | 3,057 | 2,743 | 81.7 | Onesimo Pech | United Democratic Party | 1,331 | 48.5 |
| Cayo North | 3,751 | 2,951 | 78.6 | Salvador Fernandez | United Democratic Party | 1,562 | 52.9 |
| Cayo North | 3,751 | 2,951 | 78.6 | Ismael "Miley" Garcia | People's United Party | 1,321 | 44.8 |
| Cayo South | 3,199 | 2,382 | 74.0 | Samuel Waight | People's United Party | 1,425 | 59.8 |
| Cayo South | 3,199 | 2,382 | 74.0 | Philip Brackett | United Democratic Party | 910 | 38.2 |
| Cayo West | 2,539 | 2,010 | 79.0 | Miguel Ruiz | People's United Party | 1,033 | 51.3 |
| Cayo West | 2,539 | 2,010 | 79.0 | Carlos Leon | United Democratic Party | 929 | 46.2 |
| Cayo Central | 3,249 | 2,491 | 76.6 | Daniel Silva | People's United Party | 1,277 | 51.2 |
| Cayo Central | 3,249 | 2,491 | 76.6 | Eduardo "Dito" Juan | United Democratic Party | 1,152 | 46.2 |
| Corozal North | 2,922 | 2,522 | 86.3 | Valdemar Castillo | People's United Party | 1,371 | 54.4 |
| Corozal North | 2,922 | 2,522 | 86.3 | Richard Quan | United Democratic Party | 1,119 | 44.4 |
| Corozal South West | 2,821 | 2,398 | 85.0 | Asterio Ortega | United Democratic Party | 1,309 | 54.6 |
| Corozal South West | 2,821 | 2,398 | 85.0 | Everaldo Puck | People's United Party | 1,055 | 43.9 |
| Corozal Bay | 3,336 | 2,544 | 76.0 | Juan Vildo Marin | People's United Party | 1,258 | 50.5 |
| Corozal Bay | 3,336 | 2,544 | 76.0 | Israel Alpuche | United Democratic Party | 1,201 | 47.2 |
| Corozal South East | 3,203 | 2,887 | 90.0 | Florencio Marin | People's United Party | 1,528 | 52.9 |
| Corozal South East | 3,203 | 2,887 | 90.0 | Doroteo Pott | United Democratic Party | 1,320 | 45.7 |
| Dangriga | 3,486 | 2,330 | 66.8 | Theodore Aranda | People's United Party | 1,233 | 52.9 |
| Dangriga | 3,486 | 2,330 | 66.8 | Randolph Enriquez | United Democratic Party | 1,057 | 45.4 |
| Stann Creek West | 2,286 | 1,783 | 77.9 | Melvin Hulse | United Democratic Party | 881 | 49.4 |
| Stann Creek West | 2,286 | 1,783 | 77.9 | Conrad Lewis | People's United Party | 871 | 48.8 |
| Toledo East | 3,375 | 2,494 | 73.8 | Michael Espat | People's United Party | 1,298 | 52.0 |
| Toledo East | 3,375 | 2,494 | 73.8 | Charles Wagner | United Democratic Party | 1,168 | 46.8 |
| Toledo West | 2,573 | 1,985 | 53.5 | William "Dennis" Usher | United Democratic Party | 1,062 | 53.5 |
| Toledo West | 2,573 | 1,985 | 53.5 | Samuel Alexander "Alejandro" Vernon | People's United Party | 911 | 45.9 |
| Source: Belize Times |||||||||