Francis Xavier Suarez is an American attorney and politician serving as the 43rd mayor of Miami. He was elected on November 7, 2017 with 86 percent of the vote. Suarez is the first Miami-born mayor. He is a registered Republican, but the office of the City of Miami Mayor is nonpartisan. He previously served as City of Miami Commissioner for District 4, a position he held since he was elected in a runoff election on November 17, 2009. Suarez is the son of former Miami Mayor and current Miami-Dade County Commissioner Xavier Suarez. Suarez also serves as Vice-Chair of the Miami-Dade Transportation Planning Organization and is the former President of the Miami-Dade CountyLeague of Cities. In his role at the TPO, Suarez championed the Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit Plan, which was unanimously approved. The SMART Plan expands mass transit options in Miami-Dade County through six main corridors and new bus routes.
Early life and education
The oldest of four siblings, Suarez is the son of two-time Miami mayor Xavier Suarez. Between 6th and 8th grade, Suarez attended Belen Jesuit, an all-boys preparatory school. In high school, Suarez attended Immaculata-LaSalle High School. He graduated in 1996 and went on to graduate in the top 10% of his class from Florida International University with a Bachelor’s degree in Finance. Following college, Francis Suarez chose to pursue a law degree and attended the Fredric G. Levin College of Law, graduating cum laude in 2004. He is an attorney with the law firm Greenspoon Marder, specializing in corporate and real estate transactions.
Career
Miami Commission (2009–2017)
Suarez was first elected as City of Miami Commissioner for District 4 in 2009. The general election to replace Tomás Regalado was on November 3, 2009. Suarez made it to the runoff election against Manolo Reyes after he received 44.74% of the vote, while Reyes received 40.50%. The other candidates in the general election were Denis Rod who had 5.15% and Oscar Rodriguez-Fonts with 9.61%. The runoff election was on November 17, 2009. Suarez won with 51.41% of the vote. He was reelected unopposed in 2011 and 2015.
On March 2, 2020, Suarez responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by announcing preparations for a potential outbreak in Miami. Though no cases had yet to reported in Miami, two cases were confirmed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in other areas of the state of Florida. On March 4, 2020. Suarez announced plans to cancel the upcoming Ultra Music Festival, stating that the tourists attending would greatly enhance the likelihood of Miami having cases of COVID-19. On March 6, 2020, Suarez and the Miami municipal government responded to the outbreak, which by then had resulted in even more confirmed coronavirus cases in the state of Florida, by cancelling the localCalle Ocho Festival as well. Suarez and two other city officials confirmed this during a press conference. Suarez contracted the virus, which he confirmed during an interview with Miami Herald on March 13. He is the second person confirmed to be infected in Miami-Dade County.
