Xavier Suarez, who holds the distinction of being the inaugural Cuban-born mayor of Miami and is also the patriarch of the incumbent mayor, Francis Suarez, is considering a reentry into the political arena. This development emerged right after a judge declared illegitimate the City of Miami’s attempt to adjourn its slated November 2025 mayoral election to 2026 without the mandate of its citizens. The 76-year-old Suarez expressed his aspiration to resume his political career and vie for the position of mayor in the impending 2025 election. The energetic politician intends to submit his official candidacy documentation at City Hall shortly.
A look at Suarez’s past in politics reveals a dedicated public servant. In the year 1985, Suarez stepped into the shoes of Maurice Ferré, making history as the first Cuban-born mayor of the city. The following years witnessed Suarez get reelected to the office in 1987 and 1989, thereby solidifying his leadership position.
Suarez’s recent revelation sets up a potential redux of the contentious mayoral race of 1997. In this historical race, Suarez faced off against Joe Carollo, who is currently serving as a city commissioner and has dropped hints at his own mayoral run for November 2025. Suarez managed to defeat Carollo in a heated runoff election in November 1997, assuming the role of mayor as a result.
However, the victory of Suarez was short-lived due to the ensuing electoral scandals. The spring of 1998 saw a judge negating the election result after unearthing sufficient proof of absentee ballot fraudulence. Consequently, Suarez’s term was abruptly curtailed, clocking in at 111 days, and he was ousted from office. The title and responsibilities of mayor were reverted back to Carollo, who had previously occupied the post between 1996 to 1997.
Suarez, however, emerged back into local governance in 2011, acquiring the seat of Miami-Dade County commissioner for District 7 through elections. He cemented his position as a commissioner with a successful reelection bid in August 2016. Despite a failed attempt to ascend to the role of county mayorship in 2020, where he ended up in fourth place in the preliminary round, Suarez proved his political resilience.
At the heart of Suarez’s political journey is a rich family legacy. Born in Las Villas, Cuba, Suarez pursued higher education in the United States, achieving a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Villanova University in 1971. Subsequent degrees included a Master of Public Policy and a Juris Doctor, both from Harvard University. Additionally, Suarez has spent considerable time practicing healthcare, corporate, and real estate law, demonstrating diverse professional expertise.
His familial ties extend into politics too. His son, Francis Suarez, has held the position of Miami mayor since 2017 and is expected to transition out of his post at the conclusion of the year due to term limits. If Xavier Suarez’s campaign proves successful and he completes the full term of four years this November, a Suarez family member would be at Miami’s helm for a continuous 12-year stretch.
During his political career, Suarez has not been exempt from the limelight of controversy. His actions in 1990 caught nationwide attention when he chose to not honor the South African President Nelson Mandela during his official US tour that included Miami. Suarez’s refusal stemmed from Mandela’s commendation of Cuban President Fidel Castro, who was regarded as a ‘comrade in arms’ via his support for the African National Congress.
This act of defiance led to a lengthy boycott of Miami-based conventions by segregation-opposing organizations like the NAACP and other groups. Nevertheless, Suarez’s political career faced its most turbulent period during his 1997 comeback attempt. Although his second term had its fair share of peculiar incidents, the defining moment was undeniably the electoral fraud controversy that culminated in Suarez getting toppled from power.
Post the election, allegations arose from Carollo’s camp asserting that ballots had been counterfeited and financed by members of Suarez’s team. A thorough probe established that approximately 400 bogus ballots were indeed cast by deceased individuals and convicted felons.
The prosecution charged around three dozen individuals with committing mail-in-ballot fraud and related infringements, including one campaign worker from the Suarez camp who was literally caught red-handed, having been found in possession of a Suarez for Mayor T-shirt. The prosecutor painted this as a ‘well-devised plot to hijack the election’. However, despite their efforts, no direct linkages were drawn between Suarez and the illicit activities.
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