Xavier Suarez

Xavier Louis Suarez (born May 21, 1949) is an American politician who was the first Cuban-born mayor of Miami and was a Miami-Dade county commissioner. Early life and education He was born on May 21, 1949, in Las Villas, Cuba. Suarez moved to Florida and attended the Colegio de Belén, but graduated from St. Anselm's Abbey School in 1967. He earned a Bachelor of Engineering from Villanova University in 1971, followed by a Master of Public Administration and Juris Doctor from Harvard University. Career After completing his education, Suarez returned to Miami and was sworn in as mayor on November 13, 1985, succeeding Maurice Ferré. Suarez was first elected mayor in 1985. He was re-elected in 1987 and again in 1989 for a four-year term. While mayor, Suárez declared "Yahweh ben Yahweh Day" on October 7, 1990, a month before Yahweh ben Yahweh was indicted. Suarez cited the construction of 1,500 affordable homes as one of his "proudest achievements" during his tenure. He was also given the name "pothole mayor" for his attention to city neighborhoods.