There's a lot of politics in the news tonight – but the hottest story in our newsroom is the one about not one, but two mass party candidates who are alleged to have Guatemalan nationality. Now, that's like a double negative because a candidate can't be elected to the House of Representatives if they have dual nationality, and they definitely cannot be Guatemalan citizens – in fact, there's a special provision in the law just for that.

But that's the situation that the UDP's Ralph Huang and the PUP's Dr. Lesbia Guerra Cocom find themselves in tonight. Guatemalan identity documents, known as a DPI, a personal identification document that they have gotten as adults. Each situation has its own peculiarities: Huang;s wife is Guatemalan, while Guerra Cocom was born in Guatemala. But, what matters is the document – and we first asked Huang about his one:..

Jules Vasquez

"Are you a Guatemalan citizen? I have seen"

Ralph Huang - UDP Representative, Cayo South

"No."

Jules Vasquez

"I have seen a cedular, a DPE with your name on it. I have it right here on my phone."

Ralph Huang - UDP Representative, Cayo South

"Make I see it."

Jules Vasquez

"That your mother is Alice Tseng; A documento personale informacion, right? And it has your name on it. It seems to be an authentic document because you can see the paper has the actual water mark on it. And there you are and that is your name. Dellonney Huang Tseng and it says that you are a Guatemalan citizen."

Ralph Huang - UDP Representative, Cayo South

"I don't think this indicate to me that this is a Guatemalan citizen to me. My wife, she is a Guatemalan and also a Belizean, Guatemalan-Belizean. My in law originally from Guatemala."

Jules Vasquez

"Okay, but are you Guatemalan? Because this says that you are Guatemalan."

Ralph Huang - UDP Representative, Cayo South

"I don't think so to be honest with you."

Reporter

"Where were you born?"

Ralph Huang - UDP Representative, Cayo South

"Where I born? I was born in Taiwan."

Jules Vasquez

"Okay but I've seen a document of an offshore company called Key Investments which says where you are identified as a Guatemalan person. That your nationality is Guatemala."

Ralph Huang - UDP Representative, Cayo South

"No I don't think so."

Reporter

"Do you hold Guatemalan nationality?"

Ralph Huang - UDP Representative, Cayo South

"No I don't have Guatemalan nationality."

Jules Vasquez

"You've said your wife has."

Ralph Huang - UDP Representative, Cayo South

"My wife has Guatemalan nationality, has a passport."

Jules Vasquez

"Okay but this document that we're going to show on TV says that you are a Guatemalan. It's like a cedular, it's a PID, personal identification document."

Ralph Huang - UDP Representative, Cayo South

"I would like the public to know, me as Ralph Huang I never travel with a next country passport. And I know the opponent candidates would try all kind of way to run all kind of allegation to destroy me. And I don't think this is a good healthy way to win an election. So I think the PUP will have to wake up and try to do something for the country instead of creating lies and more and more lies just to win an election. Thanks"

Reporter

"Sir so you are saying that it's false?"

Ralph Huang - UDP Representative, Cayo South

"That's false."

Jules Vasquez

"Sir but document 2490326431711 which says that you are a Guatemalan national, that's a false document?"

Ralph Huang - UDP Representative, Cayo South

"Indeed Guatemala says that."

Jules Vasquez

"But I'm asking you, you should know who you are."

Ralph Huang - UDP Representative, Cayo South

"I'm a Belizean. How many times do I need to repeat myself?"

Jules Vasquez

"Are you a Guatemalan and Belizean?"

Ralph Huang - UDP Representative, Cayo South

"I already said I'm not. Thanks."

So there, he said it but the identity document says otherwise…same for Doctora Guerra. We asked her about the DPI at today's PUP manifesto launch and she was very oblique:

Daniel Ortiz

"Are you a Guatemala citizen as well?"

Lesbia Guerra Cocom - PUP Candidate, Cayo West

"I am a Belizean national. I was born of Belizean parents; both of my parents are Belizeans. None of us have any control of where we born, that's our mother's decision."

Daniel Ortiz

"Were you born in Guatemala?"

Lesbia Guerra Cocom - PUP Candidate, Cayo West

"I was born in Guatemala. I have never lived in Guatemala. I have never voted in Guatemala. I have never applied for a Guatemalan passport. I have dedicated my life to my people in Benque serving them and that is my home town and that is what I have been doing for the past years."

Daniel Ortiz

"Ma'am but if you were born in Guatemala, have you disavowed that citizenship? Have you given it up? Have you turned yourself away officially given up that citizenship to Guatemala?"

Lesbia Guerra Cocom - PUP Candidate, Cayo West

"As I said, I don't have hold any allegiance to Guatemala. I have lived my entire life in Benque Veijo town. I vote in Belize, I have hold positions in Belize, I have held my government position in Belize and I have never hold any office in Guatemala. I mean they are searching and that is what they are afraid of. Why? I have been nominated; I went through the requirements of being nominated, why didn't they brought this up before nomination day?"

Daniel Ortiz

"Ma'am I have a copy of a cedular, a CDI which says that someone, claiming to be you or you went to apply for this document. It says in 2011. Do you have a CDI? Did you go in to get a CDI?"

Lesbia Guerra Cocom - PUP Candidate, Cayo West

"Let them challenge me in court. I will answer that in court."

Daniel Ortiz

"But why not answer now?"

Lesbia Guerra Cocom - PUP Candidate, Cayo West

"Because I don't know what you have, I need to have the evidence with me and then I can answer and that will surely be answered in court."

Daniel Ortiz

"But you can say right now to us if this is a fraud; if it was a crafted document. But why won't you?"

Lesbia Guerra Cocom - PUP Candidate, Cayo West

"Because I need to go to court and do that."

And indeed, at this point it would have to go to court, for it to be established that either of them cannot offer themselves as candidates because they do not meet the nationality requirement in the Belize constitution. Both are considered decided underdogs in their respective divisions, so it is left to be seen if either party will mount the challenge…