Bella Zabaneh responds to backlash over PUP speech, doubles down on procurement argument but silent on ‘media propaganda’ remarks

By Breaking Belize News Staff: Former Miss Universe Belize Isabella “Bella” Zabaneh has broken her silence following public scrutiny over her appearance and remarks at the People’s United Party’s National Party Council meeting over the weekend, insisting that she does not defend corruption while doubling down on her argument that Belize’s government procurement system should be reviewed.

In a two-page statement issued on Tuesday, Zabaneh sought to clarify the intention behind her remarks, saying that her reign as Miss Universe Belize officially ended on June 29 and that she attended the political event and spoke as a private citizen and voter.

The statement follows BBN’s reporting on Sunday, which highlighted Zabaneh’s appearance at the PUP event in Dangriga, where she defended the governing party, criticized the existing $10,000 procurement threshold and declared that the PUP was not afraid of “media propaganda.”

“Over the past year, I had the extraordinary privilege of serving Belize as Miss Universe Belize. It was an honor to represent every Belizean, regardless of political affiliation,” Zabaneh said in her statement.

“My reign officially concluded on June 29, and as I return to speaking publicly as a private citizen, I recognize that many people are seeing me in a different capacity for the first time,” she added.

Zabaneh said that, following her remarks at the PUP National Party Council, she had listened carefully to the public conversation and wanted to explain the intention behind her comments.

“First and foremost, I was speaking as a Belizean citizen and voter,” she said. “The remarks I delivered were entirely my own. I prepared them in writing because I wanted to express my thoughts carefully and accurately.”

The controversy arose after Zabaneh used her appearance at the governing party’s council meeting to argue that the $10,000 procurement threshold was too low for the present economy.

As BBN reported on Sunday, Zabaneh argued that while the figure may have been appropriate 30 years ago, it had become burdensome and resulted in excessive micromanagement of ministries.

“It’s micromanaging everybody from the top down to the bottom. We need strong oversight but $10,000 is too low in this economy,” Zabaneh said at the event.

She then went further, declaring: “We are not a party of thieves. We are a party of love. And we are not afraid of any other party or the media propaganda that they will push.”

Prime Minister John Briceño publicly praised Zabaneh for “being so brave” and agreed with her argument that the threshold was too low, saying that “$10,000 is really not a lot in the grander scheme of things.”

In Tuesday’s statement, Zabaneh did not retreat from her position on the threshold. Instead, she expanded on the reasoning behind it.

“My remarks addressed one side of that conversation: improving efficiency within legitimate government operations,” she said. “Specifically, I suggested that procurement thresholds be reviewed to ensure they reflect today’s economic realities while preserving appropriate oversight.”

Zabaneh said the recommendation was made with Belizean contractors, suppliers and small businesses in mind, arguing that many businesses provide essential goods and services to government ministries and depend on timely payments to maintain cash flow, pay workers and continue operating.

She further argued that unnecessarily burdensome administrative systems affect not only government offices but ordinary Belizeans and their families.

“For that reason, my words were never simply about increasing a financial threshold,” Zabaneh said. “It was about reviewing our systems prudently so they remain efficient, transparent, accountable, reliable, and ultimately better equipped to serve the Belizean people.”

She maintained that greater efficiency should not come at the expense of integrity and said transparency and accountability should not be weakened.

Zabaneh also addressed the broader perception that her comments amounted to a defence of the Government amid the ongoing Mira Millions controversy.

“My comments were not made in defense of any individual, nor were they intended to comment on or influence any ongoing investigation,” she said. “Those matters should be allowed to proceed independently, fairly, and without interference.”

“I do not defend corruption under any circumstances,” Zabaneh added, saying she supports meaningful reforms and enforceable legislation to strengthen transparency, improve accountability and make it more difficult for public funds to be misused.

However, while Zabaneh addressed criticism surrounding her position on procurement and denied defending corruption, she did not respond to criticism over her own characterization of media reporting as “propaganda.”

That distinction is significant because the controversy was not limited to her policy position on the $10,000 threshold. During the same speech, Zabaneh explicitly told the PUP gathering that the party was not afraid of “the media propaganda that they will push,” despite the current public controversy being driven in significant part by documented financial records, including invoices, payment vouchers and government cheques connected to transactions now under official scrutiny.

Her new statement does not identify what reporting she considered propaganda, what information she believes was false or misleading, or which media organizations she was referring to.

Instead, Zabaneh has largely doubled down on the central argument of her original speech—that government procurement procedures should be made more efficient—while attempting to separate that position from any suggestion that she supports corruption or opposes accountability.

She also continued to express confidence in the Prime Minister, saying: “I also believe the Prime Minister has taken important steps toward strengthening transparency within government, and I sincerely pray those efforts continue.”

Zabaneh said the ongoing investigation should be allowed to run its course and its conclusions respected.

She acknowledged that entering public policy debates means that her views will be questioned and challenged, saying that such scrutiny is part of democracy.

“I will never shy away from contributing thoughtfully to conversations about Belize’s future, nor will I be discouraged from expressing ideas that I believe are intended to better serve the Belizean people,” Zabaneh said.

She concluded by calling for a Belize that is “stronger, more transparent, more efficient, and guided by integrity,” adding that this was the spirit in which she spoke and the spirit in which she intends to continue serving.

The post Bella Zabaneh responds to backlash over PUP speech, doubles down on procurement argument but silent on ‘media propaganda’ remarks appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.