Xavier Suarez facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Xavier Suarez
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Official portrait, c. 2010s
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| 35th and 39th Mayor of Miami | |
| In office November 14, 1997 – March 12, 1998 |
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| Preceded by | Joe Carollo |
| Succeeded by | Joe Carollo |
| In office November 14, 1985 – November 11, 1993 |
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| Preceded by | Maurice Ferré |
| Succeeded by | Stephen P. Clark |
| Member of the Miami-Dade Board of Commissioners from the 7th district |
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| In office May 24, 2011 – November 17, 2020 |
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| Preceded by | Carlos A. Giménez |
| Succeeded by | Raquel Regalado |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Xavier Louis Suarez
May 21, 1949 Las Villas, Cuba |
| Political party | Democratic (before 2018) Independent (2018–2020) Republican (2020–present) |
| Spouse | Rita Suarez |
| Children | 4, including Francis |
| Relatives | Alex Mooney (nephew) |
| Education | Villanova University (BS) Harvard University (MPP, JD) |
Xavier Louis Suarez (born May 21, 1949) is an American politician. He was the first mayor of Miami who was born in Cuba. He also served as a commissioner for Miami-Dade County.
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Early Life and Education
Xavier Suarez was born on May 21, 1949, in Las Villas, Cuba. His family later moved to Florida. He attended the Colegio de Belén and graduated from St. Anselm's Abbey School in 1967.
Suarez continued his studies at Villanova University. He earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering in 1971. After that, he went to Harvard University. There, he earned a Master of Public Policy degree and a Juris Doctor degree.
Political Career
After finishing his education, Suarez returned to Miami. He became the mayor of Miami on November 13, 1985. He took over from Maurice Ferré.
Serving as Mayor of Miami
Suarez was first elected as mayor in 1985. People thought he was a very popular mayor. He was re-elected in 1987 and again in 1989. His last term as mayor was for four years.
During his time as mayor, Suarez focused on helping the community. He was known as the "pothole Mayor" because he paid attention to fixing city neighborhoods. He was proud of helping to build 1,500 affordable homes. In 1990, he made a proclamation for "Yahweh ben Yahweh Day."
In 1993, Suarez helped rebuild a Catholic elementary school in Overtown. He got the Latin Builder's Association to donate $150,000 for this project. He decided not to run for mayor again in 1993 to spend more time with his family.
Return to Politics
Suarez returned to practicing law in Miami. Later, he decided to run for mayor again in November 1997. He was re-elected, but his opponent, Joe Carollo, challenged the election. A judge decided to remove some votes, which led to Carollo becoming mayor.
Suarez was also elected as a Miami-Dade County Commissioner for District 7. He started this role on May 24, 2011. He was re-elected in 2016. As a commissioner, he continued to support affordable housing. He also worked on programs to help people find jobs and get funding for public transportation. His term as commissioner ended in November 2020.
Views on Nelson Mandela
During his time as mayor, Suarez did not greet South African President Nelson Mandela in 1990. Mandela was visiting the United States, including Miami. Suarez disagreed with some of Mandela's comments. Mandela had referred to Cuban President Fidel Castro as a "comrade in arms." Suarez did not agree with Castro's government.
Family Life
Xavier Suarez is one of 14 children. His father, Manuel Suarez-Carreno, was the first Dean of Engineering at the St. Thomas of Villanova Catholic University. His mother was Eloisa Gaston.
Xavier Suarez is married to Rita Suarez. They have four children together. Their son, Francis Xavier Suarez, also became the Mayor of Miami in 2017. Their other children are Olga Marie Vieira, Anna Teresita, and Carolina Suarez. Xavier Suarez's sister, Lala, is the mother of U.S. Congressman Alex Mooney.
See also
In Spanish: Xavier Suárez para niños
