1 month ago
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After months away from the National Assembly, Orange Walk South Area Representative Hon. Jose Abelardo Mai returned to the House of Representatives today. Mai resigned from Cabinet on November 17, 2025, citing ongoing health complications involving his knee, shoulder and back. Since then, he has undergone multiple surgeries and spent several months recovering. Speaking with reporters outside the House today, Mai said his health has been improving over the past two weeks, which prompted him to return to today’s sitting and resume his duties as a member of the House.
Jose Abelardo Mai, Former Minister of Agriculture: “It’s been a while since I have been coming to the House meetings. But I feel a little strange. Nevertheless it feels good to be back in parliament contributing to the discussions if needs be. Recovery is coming slowly but it’s coming. Frustrating at times but nevertheless it is improving slowly especially the last two weeks I think I’ve seen some improvement probably like maybe a month ago I was a little frustrated because the improvement had plateaued and I couldn’t flex the knee well, well I still can’t flex the knee well so I’m working on that. I was continuously having the knee inflamed and very painful. I was in Merida the last three weeks for that specifically and I will travel again to see if the situation has improved. If it doesn’t improve then there’s another procedure that has to be done but I’m hoping that the situation will improve.”
Reporter: What surgeries have you had ?
Jose Abelardo Mai, Former Minister of Agriculture: “I’ve had the surgery on my shoulder, and a surgery on my knee, complete knee replacement that is the one that’s giving me trouble right now, the knee replacement.”
Reporter: I recall it has been stated that you had issues with certain discs in your spine ? What about those ?
Jose Abelardo Mai, Former Minister of Agriculture: “I have two herniated discs and one S1 that’s dislocated actually there’s not much of a disk there anymore. What the doctors had agreed, I think I’ve said it before, my posture wasn’t helping me, because of my knee. So the doctors they opted to do the knee surgery to balance the weight and correct posture so you don’t have the pressures on one side of your vertebrae. So with the surgery on my knee well after I got back to Belize the vertebrae got worse. But I returned to Guatemala and the therapist made some changes and that has been helping me a lot. But right now I consciously have to try balance the weight so I don’t put pressure on the vertebrae.”
Reporter: So no back surgery ?
Jose Abelardo Mai, Former Minister of Agriculture: “Not at this moment.”
Reporter: In future ?
Jose Abelardo Mai, Former Minister of Agriculture: “If it gets worse yes. Right now I’m like 80% I think. Like 80%. At times I have good days, I have bad days so it does I guess.”
Mai’s return to the House comes after months of recovery, with the Orange Walk South representative now gradually resuming his parliamentary duties.
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