Leader of the Opposition (Belize)

Leader of His Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition
Incumbent Moses Barrow since February 1, 2022
The Opposition National Assembly of Belize
Style	The Honourable
Residence	Belize City, Belize
Appointer	Froyla Tzalam
Term length	While leader of the largest political party in the House of Representatives that is not in government
Precursor	Moses Barrow
Inaugural holder	Theodore Aranda
Formation	September 21, 1981
Deputy	Hugo Patt
Website	https://www.udp.org.bz/

Politics of Belize
Constitution Human rights LGBT rights
Monarchy Monarch Charles III Governor-General (list) Dame Froyla Tzalam
Government Prime Minister Johnny Briceño Cabinet Leader of the Opposition Moses Barrow
National Assembly Senate President House of Representatives Speaker
Administrative divisions Districts Constituencies Municipalities Local government
Elections Recent elections General: 2015 2020 2025 Local: 2018 2021 2024 Political parties
Foreign relations Ministry of Foreign Affairs Minister: Wilfred Elrington Diplomatic missions of / in Belize Passport Visa requirements Visa policy
Belize portal Other countries
v t e

The Leader of the Opposition (officially the Leader of His Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition of Belize) is an elected official who, according to the Constitution, "commands the support of those elected officials that do not support the Government." The Leader of the Opposition is the leader of the largest political party in the House of Representatives that is not in government.

The leader of the opposition speaks on behalf of the Opposition Members of House of Representatives and also lead the Shadow Cabinet of Belize.

The current leader of the opposition is Moses Barrow, the leader of the United Democratic Party, since 1 February 2022.^[1]

No.	Portrait	Name	Tenure			Political party
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Theodore Aranda	September 1981	November 1982	1 year, 2 months	UDP
2		Curl Thompson	January 1983	December 1984	1 year, 11 months	UDP
3		Florencio Marin	December 1984	September 1989	4 years, 9 months	PUP
4		Manuel Esquivel	September 1989	July 1993	3 years, 10 months	UDP
5		George Cadle Price	July 1993	October 1996	3 years, 3 months	PUP
6		Said Musa (1st time)	November 1996	August 1998	1 year, 9 months	PUP
7		Dean Barrow	August 1998	February 2008	9 years, 6 months	UDP
(6)		Said Musa (2nd time)	February 2008	30 March 2008	1 month	PUP
8		Johnny Briceño (1st time)	April 2008	18 October 2011	3 years, 6 months	PUP
9		Francis Fonseca	3 November 2011	6 November 2015	4 years, 3 days	PUP
(8)		Johnny Briceño (2nd time)	8 February 2016	11 November 2020	4 years, 277 days	PUP
10		Patrick Faber (1st time)	13 November 2020	24 June 2021	223 days	UDP
11		Moses Barrow (1st time)	24 June 2021	16 September 2021	84 days	UDP
(10)		Patrick Faber (2nd time)	16 September 2021	1 February 2022	138 days	UDP
(11)		Moses Barrow (2nd time)	1 February 2022	Incumbent	3 years, 40 days	UDP

• Theodore Aranda was removed as UDP leader in Dangriga Town on 21 November 1982 while still holding the office of Leader of the Opposition, which he had held since the UDP lost general elections exactly three years earlier on 21 November 1979. Aranda resigned from the UDP shortly thereafter. Curl Thompson was subsequently elevated to deputy party leader and Leader of the Opposition. Meanwhile, Manuel Esquivel defeated Phillip Goldson in elections for party leader in January 1983. Since Esquivel was a member of the Belize Senate at the time, Thompson remained as Leader of the Opposition in the House until the December 1984 election.
• Florencio Marin became Leader of the Opposition after PUP leader George Cadle Price lost his seat in the 1984 election, which the PUP lost by 21 seats to seven. Price retained his position as PUP leader.
• Price resigned as leader of the PUP on 17 August 1996, during his only term as Leader of the Opposition. He was succeeded as party leader and Leader of the Opposition by Said Musa on 10 November 1996.
• Dean Barrow was named Leader of the Opposition after Esquivel lost his seat in the 27 August 1998 election, in which the UDP retained just three seats, of which Barrow's was one. On 30 August, Esquivel retired to make way for Barrow as the new party leader. Barrow retained the office after the UDP lost elections again on 5 March 2003.
• Musa was appointed Leader of the Opposition on 11 February 2008. However effective 30 March 2008, he stepped down as PUP leader and Leader of the Opposition. He was succeeded by Johnny Briceño of Orange Walk.
• Briceño resigned as PUP leader on 7 October 2011 and as Leader of the Opposition on 18 October 2011, citing health issues. The PUP elected Francis Fonseca as his successor on 3 November 2011.
• Barrow ousted Faber as leader in Parliament after obtaining support from the majority of his colleagues. Faber remains leader of the UDP.

• Politics of Belize
• Governor-General of Belize
• List of heads of state of Belize
• List of prime ministers of Belize