Francis Fonseca


Francis William Fonseca is a Belizean politician who served as leader of the People's United Party and as Leader of the Opposition of Belize from 2011 to 2016. First elected to the Belize House of Representatives from the Belize City-based Freetown constituency in 2003, Fonseca served as Attorney General and Minister of Education, Culture and Labour in Prime Minister Said Musa's cabinet until February 2008, when the PUP lost the general election to the opposition United Democratic Party. Fonseca was one of only six PUP representatives nationwide to retain his seat in the National Assembly in the 2008 election.
Following the election defeat and subsequent resignation of Musa from the PUP leadership in March 2008, the party held a convention to select its new leader. Fonseca was a candidate for the party leadership at this convention, and he was considered to be the candidate preferred by the party establishment, but he was defeated by Johnny Briceño, receiving 310 votes against 330 for Briceño. Fonseca successfully contested the PUP leadership in 2011 after Briceño's resignation. He led the party in the 2012 election, in which it was narrowly defeated.
After his party lost four consecutive national elections, including a General election, Francis Fonseca announced to the public that he would resign as Party Leader of the People's United Party. A National Convention was called on for January 31, 2016. Three candidates ran for the position, Orange Walk Central representative, Hon. Johnny Briceño, recently elected Lake Independence representative, Cordel Hyde and Freetown incumbent, Francis Fonseca contested it again although his announcement of retirement from politics. Senator Godwin Hulse raised a libel suit against Fonseca which was resolved through an out-of-court settlement.

Personal

Fonseca is an alumnus of St. John's College in Belize City and the University of Southwestern Louisiana, where he received a bachelor's degree in economics. In 1994 Fonseca received a law degree from the University of the West Indies. He is a cousin of former PUP Rep. Ralph Fonseca, who also served in the Musa Cabinet.