Elections, Flooding, and Other News

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   If anything, 2020 will be remembered as the abnormal year of the first quarter of the 21st century. But then, who knows what 2021 will bring?
  On November 11th, one month ago, elections were held. The two main parties are the UDP (United Democratic Party, which was in power since 2008) and the PUP (People's United Party). The PUP won a landslide victory, more than 20 seats of the 31 being contested. Since there are 31 seats or constituencies, a party must hold 16 of those in order to be declared the winner. PUP supporters took to the streets, held celebrations, lighted fireworks, and for a few hours ignored Covid-19 regulations in their delirium at finally having their party in after nearly 13 years of UDP rule. The majority of voting Mennonites cast their ballots in favor of the PUP.

Source: Amandala via Google
Water was still rising when this picture was taken
Place: San Ignacio marketplace

  November was also the month of once in a lifetime flooding. Two hurricanes within 2 weeks of each other caused widespread and record-breaking flooding countrywide. First Hurricane Eta, a Category 4 cyclone which landed in northeastern Nicaragua and traveled northwest,  affecting, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador and Belize with several days of rain, resulting in avalanches, mudslides, bridges and roads completely destroyed as well as isolating entire communities. In southern and western Belize, rivers rose to devastating levels. The downtown area and outdoor market plaza in San Ignacio was under 8 feet of water. Only rooftops were visible. In Spanish Lookout, the river rose more than 30ft above the bridge, while in some of the farms the river practically came all the way up to their backyard. For a few days Spanish Lookout was unreachable via all 3 roads, only by airplane or motorboat. 

Source: San Pedro Sun via Google
A section of the new bridge at Roaring Creek


  The waters had barely begun to recede when Hurricane Iota, a Category 5 storm, landed in Nicaragua just a few miles south of Hurricane Eta. Although the storm veered off to the west it didn't help matters much. Again the river rose but not as high as before. This time the north and east of Belize were much more affected due to the water runoff arriving at sea level and remaining along the coast land instead of continuing out to sea. Farmer's Express Road, built a few years ago and maintained by Spanish Lookout community, remained open this time.
  The constant friction between government-enforced Covid-19 regulations and Plautdietch Mennonites has calmed down slightly. Things really came to a head towards the end of October, when a church in the northern Mennonite colony of Blue Creek made headline news after a video was released showing the arrests of several pastors on a Sunday in the midst of a church services. Some of the Covid-19 regulations which have been in place for several months are: gatherings are limited to 10 people, wear a mask even during church service. These Mennonites were not observing either which led to police breaking up the service and arresting some church leaders; some of the Mennonites reacted by attempting to block the main road with farm machinery. Needless to say, this incident created a storm on social media, with the majority defending the Mennonites. Images of officers in military gear with rifles, standing at the pulpit and herding churchgoers out the door,  outraged thousands of the Christian community, Mennonites and non-Mennonites. Here are some links where you can read for yourself: amandala and also love fm








                                  A. Mendoza


  
  

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