Omar Figueroa (politician)

Omar Figueroa is a Belizean politician and a member of the United Democratic Party (UDP). He was elected in January 2015 as Area Representative for the Cayo North constituency in the Cayo District. Figueroa is also a biologist and conservationist.[1][2] Prior to his political career, Figueroa studied jaguars in the Maya Forest Corridor. As of 2020, Figueroa serves as the Minister for Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment, and Sustainable Development.

Omar Figueroa
Member of the Belize House of Representatives for Cayo North
Assumed office
5 January 2015
Preceded byJoseph Mahmud
Personal details
NationalityBelizean
Political partyUnited Democratic Party

Early life

In the early 2000s, Figueroa studied jaguars in the Maya Forest Corridor of the Maya Forest for his PhD project. He spent several years collaring and tracking jaguars in order to better understand their movements.[3] In 2013, Figueroa published his dissertation, The Ecology and Conservation of Jaguars (Panthera onca) in Central Belize: Conservation Status, Diet, Movement Patterns and Habitat Use.[4]

Political career

In November 2014, Figueroa's predecessor, Joseph Mahmud, unexpectedly resigned from the House of Representatives. A by-election in Cayo North to determine Mahmud's successor was held on January 5, 2015.[5] Figueroa won the by-election by a nearly 2-to-1 margin, increasing the UDP's overall majority in the House.[6]On January 12, 2015, Figueroa was sworn in to his first cabinet position, Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister.[7]

Figueroa was re-elected in the 2015 general election by a 3% margin.[8] After re-election, Figueroa was appointed Minister of State for the Ministry of Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment and Sustainable Development.[9][10] On February 20, 2020, Figueroa was promoted to substantive Minister for Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment, and Sustainable Development.[11]

After the resignation of John Saldivar as UDP party leader on February 12, 2020, Figueroa stood as a candidate to replace him as UDP party leader, but later withdrew from the race.[12]

References
  1. "Tamed jaguar, Max, escapes during hurricane and kills man". Amandala. 29 October 2010. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  2. "Phasing-out of Single-use plastics, Transitioning to Green Alternatives". The Guardian. Belize. 22 March 2019. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  3. Root, Tik (21 August 2019). "The struggle to protect a vital jaguar corridor". National Geographic. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  4. Figueroa, Omar (2013). The Ecology and Conservation of Jaguars (Panthera onca) in Central Belize: Conservation Status, Diet, Movement Patterns and Habitat Use (Thesis). University of Florida.
  5. "Parliamentarian Resigns; Bi-election to be held in Cayo North on January 5th", The San Pedro Sun, 25 November 2014. (accessed 26 November 2014)
  6. "Dr Omar Figueroa elected as new Area Rep for Cayo North", The San Pedro Sun, 6 January 2015. (accessed 6 January 2015)
  7. "Dr. Omar Figueroa becomes Minister of State". Amandala. 13 January 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  8. Official Results: General Election Archived 2015-11-08 at the Wayback Machine, Elections and Boundaries Department, 6 November 2015. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
  9. "Prime Minister names Cabinet, Senators, CEO's". Breaking Belize News. 9 November 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  10. "Cabinet". Government of Belize. Archived from the original on 12 August 2018. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  11. Menzies, Courtney (20 February 2020). "Dr Omar Figueroa Sworn In". Love FM. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  12. "Politics Time Again, Omar Figueroa Drops Out of U.D.P. Leadership Race". News 5. 22 June 2020. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
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