Xavier Suarez
Candidate for Mayor of Miami
Miami Connection
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.
About
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.