Xavier Suarez
Candidate for Mayor of Miami
Conexión con Miami
As mayor, Suarez led Miami through growth periods by maintaining public order, stimulating private-sector economic development, reducing property tax millage rates, and building affordable housing while easing ethnic tensions. His county commissioner tenure advanced district and county-wide initiatives, fostering community partnerships. Running again to succeed his son, he emphasizes property tax relief and inclusive leadership for all neighborhoods.
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Born in Cuba in 1949, Xavier Suarez emigrated to the US, graduated from Villanova University, and earned advanced degrees from Harvard. He made history as Miami's first Cuban-born mayor, serving from 1985-1993, with a brief interrupted term in 1997-1998. After practicing law, he won election as Miami-Dade County Commissioner for District 7 in 2011 and was reelected in 2016, serving until 2020. Deeply connected to Miami through his Cuban community roots and family—his son Francis Suarez is the current term-limited mayor—Suarez switched from Democrat to Republican in 2020. At 76, he announced his candidacy for Miami mayor in 2025 following a court ruling against postponing the election.