A Convention That Was Not Needed? Newcomer Says: “It’s Not Over for Team Rogers”

“I hold no grudge; it was a convention that was not needed, but I am happy, and I want to invite all of them to work with me and my team of councillors.” That was Rigoberto Vellos’ response to Sunday night’s “loud and clear” victory at the Corozal PUP Mayoral Convention, where he went head to head against newcomer Shajarie Rogers and pulling out more than 3,400 Corozaleños to cast their vote.

Vellos described the days leading up to the convention as a “hard battle,” and in the middle of his supporters cheering him on he added, “Sometimes you get tested to the extreme. And this was one time that we were really taken to the extreme. But I want to thank my supporters and big up Mrs Shajarie’s team. We went into a convention that was not necessary.”

The three-term mayor secured 1,799 votes to Rogers’ 1,175, a margin of over 600. It hands Vellos the PUP’s mayoral candidacy for the 2027 municipal elections. “I know people wanted to send a message for those who needed to hear the message, and it was loud and clear today,” he said.

Amid reports that Corozal Bay Area Representative Thea Garcia-Ramirez supported Team Rogers, Vellos said, “I hold no grudge…  If we are serious about moving Corozal forward, we have to stick together; we have to have one another’s back , we have to have the same vision and goal, our people depend on us… I want to invite all of them to work with me and my team of councillors.” 

Vellos is now calling for unity between his camp and Rogers’ supporters. “I hope that after this they can join me and my team to work together,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Rogers conceded but isn’t backing down. “It’s not over for the Rogers team; we will be coming back, and of course you’ll be hearing of us more,” she said. For now, Rogers said, “We’re going to be supporting Team Rigo because we are one PUP family, so we are going to be supporting Team Rigo.”