(CMR) A Belizean politician has succumbed to COVID-19 after being hospitalized on Saturday, December 5. The Honourable David “Dido” Vega died this morning after a brief illness with the virus.
He was hospitalized at the Belize Healthcare Partners Limited after contacting covid-19. He had been intubated and in critical condition before his passing.
Prime Minister John Briceno had called on the nation to pray for him earlier in the week.
He was a mayoral candidate in 2015. Vega won his party nomination in May 2018 beating out five party members.
He was just elected to public office a month ago on November 11 when Belize had its general election. He ran on the platform that his constituency had been neglected and demoralized for some twelve years under the United Democratic Party's (UDP) leadership.
Vega was a longtime member of the People's United Party (PUP) and Corozal Bay area representative. PUP won 26 seats while their competitors only won 5 in last month’s general election
Vega had a bachelor's degree in Pure Mathematics and a minor in Physics at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Florida.
He went on to become an educator in Jacksonville but eventually returned to Belize to teach. There he was a teacher for over twenty years teaching Mathematics at the University of Belize in Belmopan and at the Corozal Junior College.
The Prime Minister has shared that he would be sworn in with his other colleagues today during the ceremonial opening of the national assembly. Vega will be given a state funeral and all flags flow at half-mast across the country until the date of his funeral.
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