List of prime ministers of Belize Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Prime Minister of Belize
Seal of prime minister of Belize
Incumbent Johnny Briceño since 12 November 2020
Government Cabinet
Style	The Right Honourable
Residence	Left Wing, Sir Edney Cain Building, Belmopan
Seat	Belmopan
Appointer	Governor-General
Term length	5 years, no term limit
Precursor	Premier of Belize
Inaugural holder	George Cadle Price
Formation	12 September 1981
Deputy	Cordel Hyde
Salary	91,800 BZD annually

This article shares a list of the prime ministers of Belize and deputy prime ministers. It covers leaders from when the position of First Minister of British Honduras was created in 1961, all the way to today.

Understanding the Prime Minister of Belize
- What Does a Prime Minister Do?
- How is the Prime Minister Chosen?
Leaders of Belize: A Historical Look
- From First Minister to Prime Minister
Timeline of Belize's Leaders
The Deputy Prime Minister of Belize
- What Does the Deputy Prime Minister Do?
- List of Deputy Prime Ministers (1981–Present)
See Also

Understanding the Prime Minister of Belize

What Does a Prime Minister Do?

The Prime Minister is the main leader of the government in Belize. They are in charge of the country's daily operations and work with a group of top officials called the Cabinet. Their main office is in the Sir Edney Cain Building, located in Belmopan, the capital city.

How is the Prime Minister Chosen?

The Constitution of Belize explains how the Prime Minister is chosen. The Governor-General picks a member from the House of Representatives. This person must be the leader of the political party that has the most support (the majority) in the House. If no single party has a clear majority, the Governor-General chooses someone who they believe will be able to lead with the support of most members.

Leaders of Belize: A Historical Look

Here is a list of the people who have led Belize, from its time as British Honduras to the independent nation it is today.

Political parties

People's United Party (PUP) United Democratic Party (UDP)

From First Minister to Prime Minister

Belize's top leader has had different titles over the years as the country moved towards independence.

First Ministers (1961–1964)

This was the first leadership role created for the country, then known as British Honduras.

No.	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Election	Time in Office			Political Party
No.	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Election	Started	Ended	Total Time	Political Party
1		George Cadle Price (1919–2011)	1961	7 April 1961	1 January 1964	2 years, 269 days	PUP

Premiers (1964–1981)

The title changed to "Premier" as British Honduras gained more self-governance.

No.	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Election	Time in Office			Political Party
No.	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Election	Started	Ended	Total Time	Political Party
1		George Cadle Price (1919–2011)	1965 1969	1 January 1964	1 June 1973	9 years, 151 days	PUP

The title remained "Premier of Belize" after the country's name changed in 1973.

No.	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Election	Time in Office			Political Party
No.	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Election	Started	Ended	Total Time	Political Party
1		George Cadle Price (1919–2011)	1974 1979	1 June 1973	12 September 1981	8 years, 103 days	PUP

Prime Ministers (1981–Present)

When Belize became fully independent in 1981, the top leader's title officially became "Prime Minister."

No.	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Election	Time in Office			Political Party
No.	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Election	Started	Ended	Total Time	Political Party
1		George Cadle Price (1919–2011)	—	12 September 1981	17 December 1984	3 years, 96 days	PUP
2		Manuel Esquivel (1940–2022)	1984	17 December 1984	7 September 1989	4 years, 264 days	UDP
(1)		George Cadle Price (1919–2011)	1989	7 September 1989	13 July 1993	3 years, 309 days	PUP
(2)		Manuel Esquivel (1940–2022)	1993	13 July 1993	28 August 1998	5 years, 46 days	UDP
3		Said Musa (born 1944)	1998 2003	28 August 1998	8 February 2008	9 years, 164 days	PUP
4		Dean Barrow (born 1951)	2008 2012 2015	8 February 2008	12 November 2020	12 years, 278 days	UDP
5		Johnny Briceño (born 1960)	2020	12 November 2020	Incumbent	4 years, 220 days	PUP

Timeline of Belize's Leaders

This graph shows the lifespans and terms in office for each Prime Minister of Belize. They are listed in the order they first served.

The Deputy Prime Minister of Belize

Deputy Prime Minister of Belize
Incumbent Cordel Hyde since November 13, 2020
Government of Belize Cabinet of Belize
Style	The Honourable
Residence	Belize City, Belize
Appointer	Froyla Tzalam
Term length	At the pleasure of the prime minister
Inaugural holder	Florencio Marin, Sr.
Formation	September 21, 1981
Website	House of Representatives

What Does the Deputy Prime Minister Do?

The Deputy Prime Minister of Belize is an important elected official. This person works closely with the Prime Minister and helps lead the government. They usually serve as the second-in-command of the main political party that is in charge of the government. The Deputy Prime Minister serves as long as the Prime Minister wishes.

List of Deputy Prime Ministers (1981–Present)

Here are the individuals who have served as Deputy Prime Minister of Belize since 1981.

No.	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Time in Office			Political Party
No.	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Started	Ended	Total Time	Political Party
1		Florencio Marin (1st time)	12 September 1981	14 December 1984	3 years, 93 days	PUP
2		Curl Thompson	15 December 1984	4 September 1989	4 years, 263 days	UDP
(1)		Florencio Marin (2nd time)	5 September 1989	30 June 1993	3 years, 298 days	PUP
3		Dean Barrow	1 July 1993	27 August 1998	5 years, 57 days	UDP
4		Johnny Briceño	28 August 1998	4 June 2007	8 years, 280 days	PUP
5		Juan Vildo Marin	5 June 2007	7 February 2008	247 days	PUP
6		Gaspar Vega	8 February 2008	5 May 2016	8 years, 87 days	UDP
7		Patrick Faber	6 May 2016	10 February 2020	3 years, 280 days	UDP
8		Hugo Patt	11 February 2020	11 November 2020	274 days	UDP
9		Cordel Hyde	12 November 2020	Incumbent	4 years, 220 days	PUP