Manuel Esquivel

{{Infobox officeholder

|image = Manuel Esquivel.jpg

|caption = Esquivel in 1993

|honorific-prefix = The Right Honourable Sir

|name = Manuel Esquivel

|honorific-suffix = KCMG

|order = 2nd Prime Minister of Belize

|term_start = 17 December 1984

|term_end = 7 September 1989

|term_start2 = 3 July 1993

|term_end2 = 30 August 1998

|monarch = Elizabeth II

|governor_general = Elmira Minita Gordon

|governor_general2 = Elmira Minita Gordon
Colville Young

|predecessor = George Cadle Price

|predecessor2 = George Cadle Price

|successor = George Cadle Price

|successor2 = Said Musa

|order2 =

|office3 = Leader of the Opposition

|primeminister3 = George Cadle Price

|term_start3 = 7 September 1989

|term_end3 = 3 July 1993

|predecessor3 = Florencio Marin

|successor3 = George Cadle Price

|office4 = Member of the Belize House of Representatives for Caribbean Shores

|term_start4 = 14 December 1984

|term_end4 = 27 August 1998

|predecessor4 = (constituency created)

|successor4 = Jose Coye

|birth_date = {{birth date|1940|05|02|df=y}}

|birth_place = Belize City, British Honduras
{{small|(now Belize)}}

|death_date = {{death date and age|2022|02|10|1940|05|02|df=y}}

|death_place = Belize City, Belize

|spouse = Kathleen Levy (m. 1971)

|children = 3

|party = United Democratic Party (1973–2022)
Liberal Party (1969–1973)

|deputy = Curl Thompson

|deputy2 = Dean Barrow

}}

Sir Manuel Amadeo Esquivel {{post-nominals|country=GBR|sep=,|size=100%|KCMG|PC}} (2 May 1940 – 10 February 2022) was a Belizean politician. As leader of the United Democratic Party, he served as the second prime minister of Belize from 1984 to 1989, and then again from 1993 to 1998. His party's victory in 1984 was the first time an opposition party had won a general election in Belize.

Early life

Esquivel was born in Belize City when it was the capital of the British Crown Colony of British Honduras. He attended St John's College and later earned a Bachelor of Science degree in physics at Loyola University New Orleans; he subsequently pursued a postgraduate certificate in physics education at Bristol University, England.{{Cite news|date=16 December 1984|title=THE COMET OF BELIZE (Published 1984)|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/12/16/world/the-comet-of-belize.html|access-date=11 January 2021|issn=0362-4331}}

Politics

After the 1969 British Honduras election, Esquivel became head of the pro-business Liberal Party, which later merged with two other parties in 1973 to form the United Democratic Party (UDP).[http://countrystudies.us/belize/77.htm United Democratic Party], Countrystudies.us. (accessed 10 October 2014) He was elected to the Belize City Council for two terms, and served as UDP chairman from 1976 to 1982.{{Cite web|date=26 August 1998|title=Profile of two leaders|url=https://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/24387|access-date=13 February 2022|website=Great Belize Television|language=en-US}} In the 1979 election, Esquivel was the UDP nominee for the Belize House of Representatives in the Freetown constituency. He was defeated by the incumbent Premier of Belize George Cadle Price, leader of the People's United Party (PUP).[https://elections.gov.bz/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/GENERAL-ELECTIONS-1979.pdf General Elections 1979], Belize Elections and Boundaries Commission. (accessed 13 February 2022) Esquivel was then appointed a minority member of the Belize Senate.[http://ambergriscaye.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/430043/EMBRACING_History_Dr_Manuel_Es.html EMBRACING History: Dr. Manuel Esquivel] AmbergrisCaye.com. (accessed 9 October 2014) He defeated Philip Goldson for the open UDP leadership post in January 1983, becoming the first and thus far only politician to be elected leader of a major Belizean political party as a senator. Acting opposition leader Curl Thompson stayed on as the UDP's House leader until the following election.

Esquivel was elected in December 1984 to the House of Representatives from the newly formed constituency of Caribbean Shores in Belize City, becoming prime minister for the first time shortly thereafter.[https://web.archive.org/web/20141016100510/http://www.elections.gov.bz/modules/wfdownloads/visit.php?cid=14&lid=748 General Elections 1984] Belize Elections and Boundaries Commission. (archived 16 October 2014) The UDP's victory was the first time an opposition party had won since the introduction of universal suffrage in 1954.{{Cite web|date=28 April 2004|title=50 Years of Universal Adult Suffrage|url=http://www.7newsbelize.com/sstory.php?nid=3391|access-date=13 February 2022|website=Tropical Vision Limited}}{{Cite news|agency=Reuters|date=6 September 1989|title=Populist Regains His Power In Belize General Elections|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/09/06/world/populist-regains-his-power-in-belize-general-elections.html|access-date=13 February 2022|issn=0362-4331}} He held the seat until the 1998 election, in which he was defeated by the PUP's Jose Coye.[https://elections.gov.bz/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/1998-General-Elections-Results.pdf General Elections 1998] Belize Elections and Boundaries Commission. (accessed 12 February 2022)

Earlier in 1984, the Price government was faced with a financial crisis, and had nearly depleted its financial reserves. After increasing tax rates twice, they entered into a standby agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Upon becoming prime minister, Esquivel proceeded with economic reforms under the advice of domestic experts such as Edney Cain.{{Cite web|date=30 May 2005|title=Former P.M. has last laugh on taxation|url=https://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/11470|access-date=13 February 2022|website=Great Belize Television|language=en-US}} Esquivel began moving the economy of Belize away from his predecessor's mixed economy model, encouraging foreign direct investment and the growth of tourism.{{Cite web|date=29 July 2021|title=Sir Manuel, An Unlikely Politician|url=http://www.7newsbelize.com/sstory.php?nid=58603&frmsrch=1|access-date=12 February 2022|website=Tropical Vision Limited}} In his second term, he implemented unpopular austerity measures such as public sector retrenchment.{{Cite web|last=Humes|first=Aaron|date=31 July 2021|title=Sir Manuel Esquivel gets biography|url=https://www.breakingbelizenews.com/2021/07/30/sir-manuel-esquivel-gets-biography/|access-date=12 February 2022|website=www.breakingbelizenews.com|language=en-US}} His government suspended pay raises from 1995 to 1997, but transferred 450,000 shares of Belize Telecommunications to a trust for the affected workers.{{Cite web|last=Castillo|first=Phillip|date=19 December 2015|title=Retired public officers say they want money that rightfully belongs to them|url=https://amandala.com.bz/news/retired-public-officers-money-rightfully-belongs/|access-date=12 February 2022|website=Amandala Newspaper|language=en-US}} The opposition PUP dubbed Esquivel as "VATMAN" for introducing a 15% value-added tax (VAT) in 1995. While Esquivel's successor Said Musa repealed the VAT in 1999, Musa introduced a similar 10% goods and services tax (GST) in 2005.{{Cite web|date=28 December 2005|title=House Debates & Passes GST Bill|url=http://www.7newsbelize.com/sstory.php?nid=3431|access-date=13 February 2022|website=Tropical Vision Limited}}

After the UDP won the February 2008 election, Esquivel was appointed by Prime Minister Dean Barrow as senior advisor to government with the rank of minister on 12 February 2008.{{Cite news|date=14 February 2008|title=Prime Minister Dean Barrow announces new Cabinet|volume=18|work=The San Pedro Sun|issue=7|url=http://www.sanpedrosun.com/old/08-071.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120327101750/http://www.sanpedrosun.com/old/08-071.html|archive-date=27 March 2012}} He was also appointed Chairman of the Central Bank of Belize on 18 January 2011.{{Cite book|url=https://www.centralbank.org.bz/docs/default-source/4.2.4-annual-reports/cbb-annual-report-2011---full-document.pdf|title=2011 Annual Report and Statement of Accounts|publisher=Central Bank of Belize|pages=2}} He stepped down as Chairman in September 2013, and resigned from the Cabinet in March 2014.{{Cite web|date=17 March 2014|title=Mass resignation by the Esquivel Family from senior government posts|url=https://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/96666|access-date=12 February 2022|website=Great Belize Television|language=en-US}}

Esquivel continued to provide opinions on public issues after retiring. Having served on the national flag design committee, he advocated for a standardized definition of the flag and the coat of arms.{{Cite web|date=5 June 2015|title=The placement of people on our flag "was a bad idea" – Former PM Manuel Esquivel|url=https://amandala.com.bz/news/placement-people-flag-was-bad-idea-pm-manuel-esquivel/|website=Amandala}} Although his government had opposed cannabis trafficking,{{Cite news|last1=Pitt|first1=David|last2=Times|first2=Special To the New York|date=27 October 1985|title=BELIZE WARILY CONSIDERS MARIJUANA HERBICIDE|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/27/world/belize-warily-considers-marijuana-herbicide.html|access-date=13 February 2022|issn=0362-4331}} Esquivel expressed support for decriminalization of small amounts in 2017.{{Cite web|date=21 August 2017|title=Sir Manuel Puts NEAB in Check|url=http://www.7newsbelize.com/sstory.php?nid=41607&frmsrch=1|access-date=13 February 2022|website=Tropical Vision Limited}} He published an editorial in the Amandala newspaper supporting the 2019 Belizean territorial dispute referendum.{{Cite web|date=2 March 2019|title=Yes to the ICJ: by Manuel Esquivel|url=https://amandala.com.bz/news/icj-manuel-esquivel/|access-date=12 February 2022|website=Amandala Newspaper|language=en-US}} When the government began administering COVID-19 vaccine to citizens over 60, Esquivel and his wife were among the first recipients.{{Cite web|date=10 March 2021|title=Vaccination Rollout Really Kicks Off; Former PM Esquivel Gets Vaccinated|url=https://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/216178|access-date=13 February 2022|website=Great Belize Television|language=en-US}}

Personal life

Esquivel met his future wife, Kathleen Levy, while he was studying in Bristol.[https://belize.com/sir-manuel-esquivel/ Manuel Esquivel profile], belize.com. Accessed 27 December 2022. They wed in 1971 and had three children: David, Laura, and Ruth. Laura followed in her father's footsteps as a public servant, serving as a Belize City councilor (2006-2012), Director of the Belize Tourism Board (2012-2014),{{Cite web|date=18 March 2014|title=Esquivels give Barrow migraine!|url=https://amandala.com.bz/news/esquivels-give-barrow-migraine/|access-date=13 February 2022|website=Amandala Newspaper|language=en-US}} and Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Belize in Washington, D.C.{{Cite news|title=Summer 2019 COBEC Conference|work=Consortium for Belize Educational Cooperation|url=https://archives.valdosta.edu/cobec/documents/cobec_2019_summer_minutes.pdf|accessdate=27 December 2022}}

Esquivel was a passenger in vehicle rollovers in 1996 and 2009 on the Western Highway. Both accidents were caused by wet road conditions. While he only sustained minor injuries from the first accident, Esquivel underwent facial surgery after the second.{{Cite web|date=30 March 2009|title=Former Prime Minister injured in accident|url=https://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/2084|access-date=13 February 2022|website=Great Belize Television|language=en-US}}

Kathleen, Lady Esquivel, wrote a biography of Esquivel entitled Still Waters, which was published in 2021.{{Cite web|last=Ali|first=Marion|date=29 July 2021|title=Prime Minister Manuel Esquivel Biography Released|url=https://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/222040|access-date=12 February 2022|website=Great Belize Television|language=en-US}} Esquivel died on 10 February 2022, at the age of 81.{{cite news |title=Sir Manuel Esquivel passes |url=https://amandala.com.bz/news/sir-manuel-esquivel-passes/ |access-date=12 February 2022 |work=Amandala Newspaper |date=12 February 2022}}{{cite news |title=Former Belize PM, Sir Manuel Esquivel, has died |url=https://caribbean.loopnews.com/content/former-belize-pm-sir-manuel-esquivel-has-died |access-date=11 February 2022 |publisher=Loop News |date=11 February 2022}}{{cite news |last1=Flowers |first1=Benjamin |title=Former Prime Minister Right Honourable Sir Manuel Esquivel passes |url=https://www.breakingbelizenews.com/2022/02/10/former-prime-minister-right-honourable-sir-manuel-esquivel-passes/ |access-date=12 February 2022 |work=BreakingBelizeNews.com |date=10 February 2022}}

Honours

Esquivel was appointed to the Privy Council of the United Kingdom by Queen Elizabeth II in 1986. This life-time appointment confers the title "Right Honourable".{{Cite web|title=Privy Council members|url=https://privycouncil.independent.gov.uk/privy-council/privy-council-members/|access-date=11 January 2021|website=Privy Council|language=en-GB}} He also held an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Loyola University.{{Cite web|title=Belizean Biographies|url=https://www.bnlsis.org/belizeanbiographies|access-date=11 January 2021|website=Belize National Library Service and Information System (BNLSIS)|language=en}}

Esquivel was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in the 2010 New Year Honours.{{London Gazette

| issue = 59289

| date = 31 December 2009

| page = 41

| supp = y

}}

In 2021, the Belize City Council renamed an overpass after Esquivel.{{Cite web|last=Cayetano|first=Isani|date=12 November 2021|title=Ten Belize City Streets are Renamed After Prominent Belizeans|url=https://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/226442|access-date=12 February 2022|website=Great Belize Television|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Alvarez|first=Vejea|date=10 November 2021|title=Belize City Council Renames Two Belize City Streets|url=https://lovefm.com/belize-city-council-renames-two-belize-city-streets/|website=LOVE FM (Belize)}} The coastal road connecting Belize District and Stann Creek District is also named after him.{{Cite web|date=23 September 2020|title=New Buildings and Roads to be Named after Belizean Patriots|url=https://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/208961|access-date=12 February 2022|website=Great Belize Television|language=en-US}}